Silicon nanocrystals and zinc oxide nanowires with erbium / Nanocristais de silicio e nanofios de oxido de zinco com erbio

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2009

RESUMO

We present a study of erbium luminescence in silicon nanocrystals (nc-Si) and zinc oxide nanowires (nw-ZnO). Silicon nanocrystals are produced by annealing of amorphous sub-oxide thin films (SiOx) prepared by rf-sputtering varying the oxygen and erbium concentration during growth. Erbium is added by partially covering the silicon target surface with small pieces of metallic erbium. Raman spectroscopy and HRTEM measurements reveal the size and density of nanocrystals in each sample. Photoluminescence (PL) measurements at room temperature show that the nanocrystal size changes with oxygen concentration and annealing temperature. The PL dependence on the temperature can be understood considering a competition between radiative and non-radiative processes. In samples with erbium the non-radiative recombination rate is higher than in samples without erbium. The study of the nanocrystal and Er3+ PL show that Er3+ behaves as non-radiative recombination centers for excited carriers in the nanocrystals. Part of the energy from the nanocrystals is transferred to Er3+ instead of being emitted as light. The Er3+ PL intensity depends on the nanocrystal PL intensity and is higher in samples containing nanocrystals ~3nm (which emit at ~1.5eV), indicating that the energy transfer is resonant (with the 4I15/2 ----->4I9/2 Er3+excitation at ~1.5eV) ZnO nanowires were prepared by vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) deposition and by electrospinning. In the VLS method erbium is deposited on the nanowires after growth. In the electrospinning method a metallorganic compound is added to the polymer precursor. Erbium PL is observed when the samples are excited by one of the Er3+ higher transitions. Er2O3 nano-crystals are observed by HRTEM on the surface of the nanowires prepared by VLS. EXAFS measurements in these samples show that the Erneighborhood is identical to that of E2O<>3 indicating that there was no substitutional

ASSUNTO(S)

erbium silicon fotoluminescencia raman silicio raman spectroscopy nanocrystals nanocristais espectroscopia de erbio photoluminescence

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