(Invited) Electropolymerized Poly(para-phenylene)vinylene Films onto and Inside Porous Si

Abstract

The electrochemical deposition of poly(para-phenylene)vinylene (PPV) into the pores of porous silicon (PSi) has been investigated using acetonitrile as solvent and p-xylylene-α,α'-bis(triphenylphosphonium chloride as precursor. PPV was successfully deposited onto various Si substrates and PSi layers. It was also deposited inside p+-type and p-type PSi. The as-deposited PPV is strongly luminescent. The deposition was confirmed by optical (photoluminescence, reflectivity) and structural analysis (FTIR, SEM). The deposited PPV was smooth without peeling on PSi layers. With strongly luminescent n+-type PSi, the rate of the deposition was limited by the large resistivity of PSi. The deposition was found dramatically affected by the PSi nanostructure through the diffusion of precursors in the pores and charge carrier transport in PSi.