Three-Dimensional Quantum Well Effects in Ultrafine Silicon Particles

Abstract

The mostly crystallized Si:H having a wide optical band gap and showing a visible photoluminescence at room temperature, has been fabricated by means of a planar magnetron rf sputtering technique in hydrogen gas onto a low temperature (about 100 K) substrate. The materials consist of very small crystalline silicon particles (average diameters: 2–5 nm) surrounded by =SiH 2 groups. The observed macroscopic physical properties are explained by the three-dimensional quantum size effects in the ultrafine silicon particles.