Photoluminescence studies of silicon-on-insulator substrates formed by oxygen implantation

Photoluminescence spectroscopy has been used to study silicon-on-insulator substrates formed by oxygen implantation. Samples having post-implantation anneals at 1200 and 1300 °C were investigated. The dislocation-related D-line emission is observed in all the samples, but with lower intensity in the samples annealed at the higher temperature, indicative of their superior crystal quality. Group V contaminants in some samples were identified from their excitonic emission. Additional low-temperature anneals at 450 and 750 °C significantly increased the intensity of the excitonic emission from the samples, and in addition, emission from thermal donors was also observed.