Optical Properties of Porous Silicon and Small Silicon Clusters: Search for the Origin of Visible Photoluminescence of Porous Silicon

Abstract

We have studied and compared the optical properties of both porous Si and the chemically synthesized small Si clusters. In planar and cubic Si clusters, broad photoluminescence (PL) spectra were observed at the visible region. The characteristics of broad visible PL and PL excitation spectra of porous Si were similar to those of small Si clusters.