Structure and Optical Properties of Porous Silicon Formed on Silicon Substrates Treated with Compression Plasma Flow

Abstract

Porous silicon layers were formed on the silicon substrates treated with compression plasma flow. Pores density and lateral size on substrates treated with plasma is by 25% more than that on untreated substrates. The intensity of the PL of the PS layers, formed on the plasma treated substrates (PT PS), is twice more than that of the PS layers, formed on untreated substrates. Three month exposure of normal PS and PT PS layers to the air leads to the PL intensity increase by 3 and 5.7 times, respectively, as well as to the peak position shifting towards long wavelength region by 3.1 nm, in the case of PT PS layer. The PL intensity increase is attributable to the reduction of the dangling bond density as a result of passivation by oxygen.