Light-emitting Si nanostructures formed in silica layers by irradiation with swift heavy ions

Thin SiO 2 layers were implanted with 140 keV Si ions to a dose of 10 17 cm −2 . The samples were irradiated with 130 Mev Xe ions in the dose range of 3×10 12 –10 14 cm −2 , either directly after implantation or after pre-annealing to form the embedded Si nanocrystals. In the as-implanted layers HREM revealed after Xe irradiations the 3–4 nm-size dark spots, whose number and size grew with increase in Xe dose. A photoluminescence band at 660–680 nm was observed in the layers with the intensity dependent on the Xe dose. It was found that passivation with hydrogen quenched that band and promoted emission at ∼780 nm, typical of Si nanocrystals. In spectra of pre-annealed layers strong ∼780 nm peak was observed initially. Under Xe bombardment its intensity fell, with subsequent appearance and growth of 660–680 nm band. The obtained results are interpreted as the emission at ∼660–680 nm belonging to the imperfect Si nanocrystals. It is concluded that electronic losses of Xe ions are mainly responsible for formation of new Si nanostructures in ion tracks, whereas elastic losses mainly introduce radiation defects, which quench the luminescence. Changes in the spectra with growth of Xe ion dose are accounted for by the difference in the diameters of Xe ion tracks and their displacement cascades.