Open AccessEnhancing light emission of Si nanocrystals by means of high-pressure hydrogenation
Author(s) -
Yuchen Zhang,
Chi Zhang,
Shuai Li,
Xiyuan Dai,
Xiaofeng Ma,
Ruihua Gao,
Wenjie Zhou,
Ming Lu
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.396654
Subject(s) - materials science , photoluminescence , electroluminescence , quantum yield , nanocrystal , hydrogen , emission intensity , hydrogen silsesquioxane , annealing (glass) , bar (unit) , quantum efficiency , optoelectronics , analytical chemistry (journal) , nanotechnology , optics , fluorescence , chemistry , organic chemistry , composite material , resist , electron beam lithography , physics , layer (electronics) , meteorology
High-density Si nanocrystal thin film composed of Si nanocrystals and SiO 2 , or Si-NCs:SiO 2 , was prepared by annealing hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) in a hydrogen and nitrogen (H 2 :N 2 =5%:95%) atmosphere at 1100°C. Conventional normal-pressure (1-bar) hydrogenation failed to enhance the light emission of the Si-NCs:SiO 2 sample made from HSQ. High-pressure hydrogenation was then applied to the sample in a 30-bar hydrogen atmosphere for this purpose. The light emission of Si-NCs increased steadily with increasing hydrogenation time. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity, the PL quantum yield, the maximal electroluminescence intensity, and the optical gain were increased by 90%, 114%, 193% and 77%, respectively, after 10-day high-pressure hydrogenation, with the PL quantum yield as high as 59%, under the current experimental condition.