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Correlated Structural and Luminescence Analysis of B‐Doped Si‐Nanocrystals Embedded in Silica
Author(s) -
Demoulin Rémi,
Muller Dominique,
Mathiot Daniel,
Pareige Philippe,
Talbot Etienne
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
physica status solidi (rrl) – rapid research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.786
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1862-6270
pISSN - 1862-6254
DOI - 10.1002/pssr.202000107
Subject(s) - luminescence , nanocrystal , doping , photoluminescence , atom probe , materials science , silicon , atom (system on chip) , quenching (fluorescence) , ion , shell (structure) , crystallography , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , chemistry , optics , fluorescence , transmission electron microscopy , composite material , physics , organic chemistry , computer science , embedded system
Structural characteristics and luminescence properties of B‐doped silicon nanocrystals (Si‐ncs) embedded in a SiO 2 matrix elaborated by ion beam synthesis are investigated. The use of atom probe tomography gives a unique opportunity to experimentally evidence the exact location and composition of B atoms in doped Si‐ncs. These experiments allow to conclude about a favored B location at the periphery of the Si‐ncs depending on their size. In this way, two categories of Si‐ncs can be described: 1) largest Si‐ncs that are B‐doped and where B atoms are located at the Si‐ncs/SiO 2 interface, and 2) smallest Si‐ncs that remain undoped but seem to be surrounded by a B‐rich SiO 2 shell. These structural characteristics (composition and diameters) are correlated to the photoluminescence properties of these Si‐ncs. These measurements show the well‐known quenching of Si‐ncs luminescence due to high B doping, which allows us to conclude about the environment changes brought by the presence of B in Si‐ncs or of B‐rich shell around Si‐ncs.