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Structure‐related current transport and photoluminescence in SiO x N y and SiN x based superlattices with Si nanocrystals
Author(s) -
Zhigunov Denis M.,
Martyshov Mikhail N.,
Forsh Pavel A.,
Kamenskikh Irina A.,
Yakunin Sergey N.,
Kashkarov Pavel K.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201700040
Subject(s) - photoluminescence , superlattice , materials science , analytical chemistry (journal) , annealing (glass) , nanocrystal , silicon , atmospheric temperature range , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , chemistry , meteorology , composite material , physics , chromatography
A comparative study of structural properties, photoluminescence and electrical conductivity of SiO x N y /SiO 2 , SiO x N y /Si 3 N 4 and SiN x /Si 3 N 4 superlattices is presented. The samples were prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and annealed at 1150 °C in order to produce arrays of silicon nanocrystals, with their formation being confirmed by X‐ray diffraction analysis and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Reference samples without silicon nanocrystals were also fabricated by annealing of as‐prepared films at a lower temperature (700 °C). All high temperature ‐annealed samples are characterized by similar photoluminescence spectra with the maxima in the range from 1.3 to 1.6 eV, which were attributed to Si nanocrystals. The peak position, as well as photoluminescence lifetime in the microsecond range, point to the quantum confined origin of the emission. Current‐voltage measurements revealed an increase in conductivity by several orders of magnitude for the samples with Si nanocrystals in SiN x /Si 3 N 4 superlattices as compared to both SiO x N y /Si 3 N 4 and SiO x N y /SiO 2 films, as well as to low temperature annealed counterparts. The dependence of the conduction mechanism in superlattices on their structural properties is discussed.