Photoluminescence of Cerium Doped Si Nanocrystals Embedded in Silicon Nitride Films

Abstract

SiNx films containing embedded Si nanocrystals (nc‐Si) are created by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and subsequently doped with Ce by ion implantation. Films are chosen that have nominal photoluminescence (PL) emission in the blue, green, and red portions of the spectrum with average nc‐Si diameters of 2.6, 3.0, and 3.9 nm, respectively. The effect of nc‐Si size on the PL response after doping by Ce implantation and subsequently heat treating is investigated. Films with the smallest nc‐Si exhibit as much as an 80‐fold increase in PL intensity after post‐implantation heat treatments. Energy transfer from the Ce to the nc‐Si is the likely source of the enhanced PL emission. Films with the largest nc‐Si did not exhibit evidence of an interaction with the Ce ions.