Excitoic Recombination at a Transititon-Metal Related Defect in Silicon

Abstract

AbstractA new photoluminescence system is reported for copper-doped silicon. The luminescence system consists of two doublet zero phonon lines at 1033.51±.05 meV, 1033.62±.05 meV, 1040.05±.05 meV and 1040.17±.05 meV. We establish from Zeeman studies that the lower energy lines are isotropic magnetic triplets, and the upper energy lines are singlets. From temperature dependence measurements the energy separation between triplet and singlet states is determined to be approximately 6 meV, in agreement with the spectroscopic separation. Also from temperature dependence PL we show that the transition probability ratio for the higher and lower states is 210. We conclude that the main features of the luminescence agree with radiative recombination of excitons bound to an axial isoelectronic defect. The chemical identity of the constituent(s) involved is uncertain although the participation of copper is likely.