Intense visible photoluminescence in amorphous SiOx and SiOx:H films prepared by evaporation

Abstract

Visible photoluminescence (PL) can be observed in a-SiOx and a-SiOx:H alloys prepared by evaporation of SiO in ultrahigh vacuum and under a flow of hydrogen ions, respectively. The hydrogen and oxygen bonding is studied by infrared spectrometry. The hydrogen stability is followed by thermal desorption spectrometry experiments. The evolution of the PL with annealing treatments shows that the PL can be attributed to a quantum confinement effect in a-Si clusters embedded in the matrix of a-SiOx. Hydrogen does not greatly contribute to the PL efficiency and to the thermal evolution of the a-Si clusters.