ISSN:
1089-7550
Source:
AIP Digital Archive
Topics:
Physics
Notes:
In order to understand the radiative recombination mechanisms in silicon oxides, photoluminescence properties (PL) of H-rich amorphous silicon oxide thin films grown in a dual-plasma chemical vapor deposition reactor have been related to a number of stoichiometry and structure characterizations (x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, and gas evolution studies). The visible photoluminescence at room temperature from a-SiOx:H matrixes with different compositions, including different bonding environments for H atoms, has been studied in the as-deposited and annealed states up to 900 °C. Three commonly reported PL bands centered around 1.7, 2.1, and 2.9 eV have been detected from the same type of a-SiOx:H material, only by varying the oxygen content (x = 1.35, 1.65, and 2). Temperature quenching experiments are crucial to distinguish the 1.7 eV band, fully consistent with bandtail-to-bandtail recombination, from the radiative defect luminescence mechanisms attributed either to defects related to Si–OH groups (2.9 eV) or to oxygen-vacancy defects (2.1 eV). In the latter case, a red-shift of the PL peak energy as a function of annealing temperature is probably attributed to some matrix-induced strain effect. © 1998 American Institute of Physics.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.367407
