Light emission of the silicon carbide nanoclusters embedded into porous silicon

Abstract The silicon carbide (SiC) films deposited onto porous silicon have been used as modification and functional layer. The different regions (long wave and short wave) of light emission were observed after deposition of SiC film with different thicknesses on the porous silicon surface. The thin (∼50 nm) SiC film deposition leads to decrease of photoluminescence (PL) intensity up to three times in long-wave region (700 nm) when compared with initial porous silicon, and appearance of the high-energy emission (450 nm). However, the thick (∼200 nm) SiC film deposition caused the quenching of long-wave emission and only high-energy emission was observed. The rapid thermal annealing (RTA) treatment of the structures was carried out. The result of RTA for porous Si+SiC film structure was the substantial transformation of the spectral bands. The long-wave band (∼600 nm) in spectrum of annealed porous Si+SiC structures being as intensive as red band (∼700 nm) for initial porous Si appeared. The band was attributed to emission of SiC nanoclusters formed on Si quantum wires.