Effect of external electric field on photoluminescence of silicon nanocrystals

Study of the effect of an external electric field on photoluminescence (PL) of silicon nanocrystals formed in SiO2 has been carried out. It was found that the electric field results in a red shift of PL band and a decrease of the PL intensity at any temperature in the range of 5–290 K. A decay time of PL intensity after pulse excitation does not depend on the electric field strength. The experimental data are explained in framework of the model of recombination of self‐trapped excitons formed at nanocrystal‐matrix boundary.