Electron transport through nanocomposite SiO 2 (Si) films containing Si nanocrystals

The current transport through insulating SiO 2 films with silicon nanocrystals in Si/SiO 2 (Si)/Al structures has been investigated in the wide range of temperatures (82–350 K). The nanocomposite SiO 2 (Si) films containing the silicon nanoclusters embedded into insulating SiO 2 matrix have been obtained by ion-plasma sputtering of silicon target and subsequent high-temperature annealing. Based on the detailed analysis of current-voltage characteristics the calculation of some electrical parameters has been performed and the mechanism of electron conductivity of nanocomposite SiO 2 (Si) films has been determined. The electrical conductivity of the films is based on the mechanism of hopping conductivity with variable-range hopping through the traps near the Fermi level.