Quantum Confined Luminescence inSi/SiO2Superlattices

Abstract

Superlattices of $\mathrm{Si}/{\mathrm{SiO}}_2$ have been grown at room temperature with atomic layer precision using state of the art molecular beam epitaxy and ultraviolet ozone treatment. Photoluminescence was observed at wavelengths across the visible range for Si layer thicknesses $1<d<\mathrm{}3\mathrm{nm}$. The fitted peak emission energy $E\left(\mathrm{eV}\right){=1.60+0.72d}^{-2\mathrm{}}$ is in accordance with effective mass theory for quantum confinement by the wide-gap ${\mathrm{SiO}}_2$ barriers and also with the bulk amorphous Si band gap. Measurements of the conduction and valence band shifts by x-ray techniques correlate with $E\left(d\right)$, confirming the role of quantum confinement and indicating a direct band-to-band recombination mechanism.