An Investigation of the Formation and Growth of Oxide-Embedded Silicon Nanocrystals in Hydrogen Silsesquioxane-Derived Nanocomposites

Abstract

We report a detailed investigation into the formation of oxide-embedded Si nanocrystals formed during the thermally induced disproportionation of solid hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) in a reducing atmosphere. Silicon nanodomain size, crystallinity, composition, bonding structure, and photoluminescent response were evaluated as functions of processing temperature and time using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Our interpretation of data obtained from these analyses provides a basis for a multistep process that yields oxide-embedded Si nanocrystals of controlled structure, composition, and size.