title: Identification and control of the origin of photoluminescence from silicon quantum dots.
abstract: We present a detailed investigation into the origin of photoluminescence (PL) from silicon quantum dots in hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride annealed in oxygen ambient. On the basis of structural characterization, temperature-dependent PL, time-resolved PL, and PL excitation spectra, we identify that the luminescence of the oxidized samples originates from the localized exciton radiative recombination via the surface states related to Si-N or Si-O-Si bonds. In combination with the results due to annealing in argon and hydrogen environments, we have further shown that control of the origin of the PL can be realized by modifying the radiative defect density through annealing treatment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Condensed Matter Spectroscopy and Opto-Electronic Physics, Department of Physics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Hua Shan Road, Shanghai 200030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: W Z
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Shen