Abstract

Development of Si-based optoelectronics has been constrained because of Si's indirect bandgap. Recent observations of efficient room temperature photoluminescence (PL) from porous Si have stimulated a great deal of interest. During the last two years, a substantial literature has attributed porous-Si PL variously to quantum size effects, surface chemistry, or a combination of the two. Due to the nature of porous Si fabrication, i.e., anodic oxidation in an aqueous HF solution, a distribution of crystallite sizes, shapes, orientations and the formation of Si—H bonds is unavoidable. A technique for large area nanoscale fabrication of crystalline Si, therefore, is required for a comprehensive investigation of quantum confinement effects.

© 1994 Optical Society of America