Polarized luminescence of nc-Si–SiOx nanostructures on silicon substrates with patterned surface

Abstract

Polarization characteristics and spectra of photoluminescence (PL) of nc-Si–SiOx structures formed on the patterned and plane c-Si substrates are studied. The interference lithography with vacuum chalcogenide photoresist and anisotropic wet etching are used to form a periodic relief (diffraction grating) on the surface of the substrates. The studied nc-Si–SiOx structures were produced by oblique-angle deposition of Si monoxide in vacuum and the subsequent high-temperature annealing. The linear polarization memory (PM) effect in PL of studied structure on plane substrate is manifested only after the treatment of the structures in HF and is explained by the presence of elongated Si nanoparticles in the SiOx nanocolumns. But the PL output from the nc-Si–SiOx structure on the patterned substrate depends on how this radiation is polarized with respect to the grating grooves and is much less dependent on the polarization of the exciting light. The measured reflection spectra of nc-Si–SiOx structure on the patterned c-Si substrate confirmed the influence of pattern on the extraction of polarized PL.