Light emission from Si-based nano-materials

• Main Author: Manik Dua.
• Other Authors: Rusli
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Electrical and electronic engineering::Nanoelectronics
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/17763
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Silicon is one of the most abundant materials in nature and its desirable electrical, mechanical and chemical properties have made it the main material in the microelectronics industry. However silicon is an indirect semiconductor and therefore an inefficient light emitter. On the other hand, silicon micro-photonics, the evolving technology which combines photonics and silicon microelectronics, requires a silicon-based light source to achieve a fully integrated optoelectronic device compatible with conventional VLSI fabrication technology. In recent years, much of the research effort has been focused on the SRSN films because of their strong light emission and their relatively lower barriers for electrons and holes. Different structures, such as porous silicon and silicon quantum dots embedded in a dielectric matrix, have also been proposed to address this problem. Another approach that utilizes a silicon-based multilayer structure is promising in realizing efficient light emitting devices due to their structural stability and the ability to inject electronhole pairs into the structure efficiently by electric current. In this thesis, light emission from SRSN films (potential candidate for active layer for multiple layer device or light source for emitter) will be demonstrated. Steady state experiment and analysis will be conducted to investigate the effect of Si concentration on the PL peak and intensity, together with the effect of annealing temperature and other factors. The origins of PL luminescence will be deduced from these experiment results. Two sets of multilayer structures with alternating layers of silicon rich silicon nitride (SiNx) and silicon nitride/silicon dioxide (Si3N4/SiO2) – with the former serving as the well layer and the latter as the barrier layer- will also be studied.