Photoluminescence study of high density Si quantum dots with Ge core

Abstract

Si quantum dots (Si-QDs) with Ge core were self-assembled on thermally grown SiO2 from alternate thermal decomposition of pure SiH4 and GeH4 diluted with He. When the sample was excited by the 979 nm line of a semiconductor laser, fairly broad photoluminescence (PL) spectra in the region of 0.6–0.8 eV were observed at room temperature. The observed PL spectra suggested that radiative recombination of photo-generated carriers through quantized states of Ge core is the dominant pathway for the emission from the dots, reflecting the type II energy band discontinuity between the Si clad and Ge core. We also found that P-δ doping to Ge core plays an important role in recombination through the quantized states in the valence band of Ge core and P donor levels.