title: Increase of the photoluminescence intensity of InP nanowires by photoassisted surface passivation.
abstract: As-grown single-crystal InP nanowires, covered with a surface oxide, show a photoluminescence efficiency that strongly varies from wire to wire. We show that the luminescence efficiency of single-crystal InP nanowires can be improved by photoassisted wet chemical etching in a butanol solution containing HF and the indium-coordinating ligand trioctylphosphine oxide. Electron-hole photogeneration, electron scavenging, and oxidative dissolution combined with surface passivation by the indium-coordinating ligand are essential elements to improve the luminescence efficiency. Time traces of the luminescence of surface-passivated wires show strong oscillations resembling the on-off blinking observed with single quantum dots. These results reflect the strong influence of a single or a few nonradiative recombination center(s) on the luminescence properties of an entire wire.
authors.affiliation: Debye Institute, Condensed Matter and Interfaces, Utrecht University, Post Office Box 80 000, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands. L.K.vanVugt@Phys.uu.nl
authors.forename: Lambert K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: van Vugt
authors.forename: Sandra J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Veen
authors.forename: Erik P A M
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Bakkers
authors.forename: Aarnoud L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Roest
authors.forename: Daniël
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanmaekelbergh