Role of plastic deformation mechanisms in the formation of nanostructured silicon and its photoluminescent properties

The role of plastic deformation mechanisms in the process of obtaining nanostructured silicon layers is demonstrated. The process of obtaining nanostructured silicon consists in growing of silicon oxide layers of various thicknesses on the silicon wafer surface, their subsequent removal, and treatment by selective chemical etchants (SE) before the formation of defectless silicon islands possessing the photoluminescent properties typical of nanostructured silicon. Based on analysis of the photoluminescence intensity spectra of nanostructured silicon islands, the conclusion is drawn on different plastic deformation mechanisms at different thicknesses of thermally grown silicon oxide. Possible mechanisms of displacement of the intensity maximum in the photoluminescence (PL) spectrum toward shorter wavelengths with decreasing nanostructured silicon island sizes are discussed.