Micro- and nano-structures in silicon studied by DLTS and scanning probe methods

Presently there is a high interest in silicon-based optical devices that would render possible the development of fully silicon-based optoelectronics. Being an indirect gap semiconductor, silicon is poorly efficient as light emitter since radiative emission is limited by carrier recombination at non-radiative centers. One of the possible approaches to enhance the radiative emission from Si is the controlled introduction of micro- (dislocations) or nano- (nanocrystals) structures, which, providing quantum confinement of free carriers, prevent their diffusion towards non-radiative channels. Dislocations introduced in silicon by plastic deformation and Si nanocrystals embedded in amorphous silicon matrix have been investigated by junction spectroscopy and scanning probe microscopy methods.