scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Journal ArticleDOI

Silicon quantum wire array fabrication by electrochemical and chemical dissolution of wafers

03 Sep 1990-Applied Physics Letters (American Institute of Physics)-Vol. 57, Iss: 10, pp 1046-1048
TL;DR: In this paper, free standing Si quantum wires can be fabricated without the use of epitaxial deposition or lithography using electrochemical and chemical dissolution steps to define networks of isolated wires out of bulk wafers.
Abstract: Indirect evidence is presented that free‐standing Si quantum wires can be fabricated without the use of epitaxial deposition or lithography. The novel approach uses electrochemical and chemical dissolution steps to define networks of isolated wires out of bulk wafers. Mesoporous Si layers of high porosity exhibit visible (red) photoluminescence at room temperature, observable with the naked eye under <1 mW unfocused (<0.1 W cm−2) green or blue laser line excitation. This is attributed to dramatic two‐dimensional quantum size effects which can produce emission far above the band gap of bulk crystalline Si.
Citations
More filters
Book ChapterDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the DMol methodology is reviewed with special emphasis on recent developments such as gradient dependent, or so-called nonlocal, density functionals for crystalline silicon structures in the nanometer size.
Abstract: The DMol methodology is reviewed with special emphasis on recent developments such as gradient dependent, or so-called nonlocal, density functionals. Applications to crystalline silicon structures in the nanometer size imply a discussion of excited states. This is also a first application using periodic boundary conditions. The application to carbonyl complexes is a case study of the effect of some recent gradient dependent density functionals on the energy surface.

126 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The ability to isolate monodisperse ncSi will allow for the quantification of the size-dependent structural, optical, electrical, and biological properties of silicon, which will undoubtedly prove useful for tailoring property-specific optoelectronic and biomedical devices.
Abstract: We report the preparation of monodisperse silicon nanocrystals (ncSi) by size-separation of polydisperse alkyl-capped ncSi using organic density gradient ultracentrifugation. The ncSi were synthesized by thermal processing of trichlorosilane-derived sol-gel glasses followed by HF etching and surface passivation with alkyl chains and were subsequently fractionated by size using a self-generating density gradient of 40 wt % 2,4,6-tribromotoluene in chlorobenzene. The isolated monodisperse fractions were characterized by photoluminescence spectroscopy and high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy and determined to have polydispersity index values between 1.04 and 1.06. The ability to isolate monodisperse ncSi will allow for the quantification of the size-dependent structural, optical, electrical, and biological properties of silicon, which will undoubtedly prove useful for tailoring property-specific optoelectronic and biomedical devices.

126 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, several examples of non-Debye dielectric response in complex heterogeneous media are discussed in detail, including percolation phenomenon and Cole-Cole relaxation in disordered matter, and the origins of "strange kinetic" phenomena are discussed based on statistical physics and fractional time evolution ideas.

126 citations

01 Mar 2000
TL;DR: In this paper, a colloid of ultrabright blue luminescent nanoparticles (1 nm in diameter) was reconstituted into films or microcrystallites, and the results were discussed in terms of population inversion, produced by quantum tunneling or/and thermal activation, and stimulated emission in the quantum confinement-engineered Si-Si phase found only on ultrasmall Si nanoparticles.
Abstract: We dispersed electrochemical etched Si into a colloid of ultrabright blue luminescent nanoparticles (1 nm in diameter) and reconstituted it into films or microcrystallites. When the film is excited by a near-infrared two-photon process at 780 nm, the emission exhibits a sharp threshold near 106 W/cm2, rising by many orders of magnitude, beyond which a low power dependence sets in. Under some conditions, spontaneous recrystallization forms crystals of smooth shape from which we observe collimated beam emission, pointing to very large gain coefficients. The results are discussed in terms of population inversion, produced by quantum tunneling or/and thermal activation, and stimulated emission in the quantum confinement-engineered Si–Si phase found only on ultrasmall Si nanoparticles. The Si–Si phase model provides gain coefficients as large as 103–105 cm−1.

125 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors review the applications of nanostructured porous silicon that exploit its unique optical properties, as in the case of light emitting devices, filtered photodetectors, optical sensors, and others.
Abstract: Porous silicon nanostructures have attracted a great deal of interest during the past few years, due to their many remarkable properties. The high-efficiency visible photo- and electro-luminescence of this material opened the way to the development of silicon-based optoelectronic devices fully compatible with standard industry processes. In addition to these luminescent properties, nanostructured porous silicon shows a variety of other interesting properties, including tunable refractive index, low light absorption in the visible, high internal surface, variable surface chemistry, or high chemical reactivity. All these properties, along with its ease of fabrication and the possibility of producing precisely controlled layered structures make this material adequate for its use in a wide range of fields, such as optics, micro- and optoelectronics, chemical sensing or biomedical applications, for example. This article reviews the applications of nanostructured porous silicon that exploit its unique optical properties, as in the case of light emitting devices, filtered photodetectors, optical sensors, and others.

125 citations

References
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the properties of electrolyte-semiconductor barriers are described, with emphasis on germanium, and the use of these barriers in localizing electrolytic etching is discussed.
Abstract: Properties of electrolyte-semiconductor barriers are described, with emphasis on germanium. The use of these barriers in localizing electrolytic etching is discussed. Other localization techniques are mentioned. Electrolytes for etching germanium and silicon are given.

1,039 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is found that a standard, widespread, chemical-preparation method for silicon, oxidation followed by an HF etch, results in a surface which from an electronic point of view is remarkably inactive, which has implications for the ultimate efficiency of silicon solar cells.
Abstract: We have found that a standard, widespread, chemical-preparation method for silicon, oxidation followed by an HF etch, results in a surface which from an electronic point of view is remarkably inactive. With preparation in this manner, the surface-recombination velocity on Si111g is only 0.25 cm/sec, which is the lowest value ever reported for any semiconductor. Multiple-internal-reflection infrared spectroscopy shows that the surface appears to be covered by covalent Si-H bonds, leaving virtually no surface dangling bonds to act as recombinatiuon centers. These results have implications for the ultimate efficiency of silicon solar cells.

910 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, multiple internal infrared reflection spectroscopy has been used to identify the chemical nature of chemically oxidized and subsequently HF stripped silicon surfaces, and these very inert surfaces are found to be almost completely covered by atomic hydrogen.
Abstract: Multiple internal infrared reflection spectroscopy has been used to identify the chemical nature of chemically oxidized and subsequently HF stripped silicon surfaces. These very inert surfaces are found to be almost completely covered by atomic hydrogen. Results using polarized radiation on both flat and stepped Si(111) and Si(100) surfaces reveal the presence of many chemisorption sites (hydrides) that indicate that the surfaces are microscopically rough, although locally ordered. In particular, the HF‐prepared Si(100) surface appears to have little in common with the smooth H‐saturated Si(100) surface prepared in ultrahigh vacuum.

588 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors measured hydrogen desorption from monohydride and dihydride species on crystalline-silicon surfaces using transmission Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy.
Abstract: Hydrogen desorption kinetics from monohydride and dihydride species on crystalline-silicon surfaces were measured using transmission Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The FTIR desorption measurements were performed in situ in an ultrahigh-vacuum chamber using high-surface-area porous-silicon samples. The kinetics for hydrogen desorption from the monohydride and dihydride species was monitored using the SiH stretch mode at 2102 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ and the ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{2}$ scissors mode at 910 ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$, respectively. Annealing studies revealed that hydrogen from the ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{2}$ species desorbed between 640 and 700 K, whereas hydrogen from the SiH species desorbed between 720 and 800 K. Isothermal studies revealed second-order hydrogen desorption kinetics for both the monohydride and dihydride surface species. Desorption activation barriers of 65 kcal/mol (2.82 eV) and 43 kcal/mol (1.86 eV) were measured for the monohydride and dihydride species, respectively. These desorption activation barriers yield upper limits of 84.6 kcal/mol (3.67 eV) and 73.6 kcal/mol (3.19 eV) for the Si-H chemical bond energies of the SiH and ${\mathrm{SiH}}_{2}$ surface species.

479 citations