Photoluminescence from silicon nanoparticles embedded in ammonium silicon hexafluoride

Silicon (Si) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by transforming a Si wafer surface to ammonium silicon hexafluoride (ASH) or (NH4)(2)SiF6 under acid vapor treatment. Si-NPs which were found to be embedded within the polycrystalline (ASH) layer exhibit a strong green-orange photoluminescence (PL). Differential PL measurements revealed a major double component spectrum consisting of a broad band associated with the ASH-Si wafer interfacial porous oxide layer and a high energy band attributable to Si-NPs embedded in the ASH. The origin of the latter emission can be explained in terms of quantum/spatial confinement effects probably mediated by oxygen related defects in or around Si-NPs. Although Si-NPs are derived from the interface they are much smaller in size than those embedded within the interfacial porous oxide layer (SiOx, x > 1.5). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) combined with Raman scattering and Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) analysis confirmed the presence of Si-NP and Si-O bondings pointing to the role of oxygen related defects in a porous/amorphous structure. The presence of oxygen of up to 4.5 at.% in the (NH4)(2)SiF6 layer was confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis.