Annealing temperature dependence of Raman scattering in Ge+-implanted SiO2 films

Abstract

We have examined the Raman spectra of violet and infrared emitting Ge+-implanted SiO2 films with special emphasis upon annealing temperature (AT) dependence of Raman scattering. We found that the complete spectrum mainly consists of three bands at 220–280, 300, and 430 cm−1, corresponding to scattering of Ge-related components, Ge nanocrystallites, and localized Si–Si optical phonons in the Ge neighborhoods, respectively. The Ge crystalline band shows an obvious AT dependence. The theoretical result from the phonon confinement model can predict its linewidth change with AT, but cannot explain its constant peak frequency. Based on the experimental result from x-ray diffraction, we attributed the discrepancy mainly to the compressive stress exerted on Ge nanocrystallites, which leads to the upshift of Ge crystallite peak thereby basically compensating the downshift caused by the confinement on phonon frequency.