The Effect of Post-Conventional Thermal Annealing Process on the Photoluminescence Characteristics of Si+-Implanted SiO2 Thin Films

Abstract

The shifted band and high intensity of the photoluminescence characteristics for RTA-treated Si+-implanted SiO2thin films for 400-nm-thick thickness using post-CTA processing were discussed and investigated. The samples were treated in the temperature of 1150°C and 20s RTA processing under dry nitrogen atmosphere. The PL band of thin films obtained was 1.7 eV. However, the PL intensity of thin films was continuous decreased for RTA annealing time increased. In this study, the PL band for RTA-treated thin films using 1h post-CTA processing was shifted from 1.5 to 1.67 eV. In addition, the PL intensity of the thin films was increased under the post-CTA annealing time increased to 60s. From the plan-view of the HRTEM image, the Si nanocrystals of the RTA-treated thin films using post-CTA processing were observed. These results were related to the presence and variation of silicon Si nanocrystals embedded in thin films.