Abstract
The realization of an innovative hybrid light source operating at room temperature, obtained by embedding a carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersion inside a Si nanowire (NW) array is reported. The NW/CNT system exhibits a peculiar photoluminescence spectrum, consisting of a wide peak, mainly observed in the visible range, due to quantum confined Si NWs, and of several narrower IR peaks, due to the different CNT chiralities present in the dispersion. The detailed study of the optical properties of the hybrid system evidences that the ratio between the intensity of the visible and the IR emissions can be varied within a wide range by changing the excitation wavelength or the CNT concentration; the conditions leading to the prevalence of one signal with respect to the other are identified. The multiplicity of emission spectra obtainable from this composite material opens new perspectives for Si nanostructures as active medium in light sources for Si photonics applications.
Highlights
The realization of an innovative hybrid light source operating at room temperature, obtained by embedding a carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersion inside a Si nanowire (NW) array is reported
The optical properties of semiconducting single wall CNTs (SWCNTs) are ruled by excitonic recombination effects26
We have demonstrated a very simple route for the effective and stable embedding of semiconducting SWCNTs in a Si NW array
Summary
The realization of an innovative hybrid light source operating at room temperature, obtained by embedding a carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersion inside a Si nanowire (NW) array is reported. In the last years the scientific community has devoted an increasing interest towards nanostructured materials In this field, Si nanowires (NWs) represent one of the most promising systems; they are able to confine excitons in two directions, so that both their electrical and optical properties are dramatically modified with respect to bulk Si, which makes them suitable candidates to become the building blocks for innovative electronic, photovoltaic and sensing devices. It has been demonstrated that a strong and tunable light emission under both optical and electrical excitation, related to the occurrence of quantum confinement phenomena, can be observed at room temperature from ultrathin Si NWs obtained by a properly modified process of metal assisted chemical etching of Si wafers, this achievement opened new and unexpected perspectives for this material, suggesting that it may play an important role as active medium in light sources to be employed in Si photonics. CNT thin films exhibit interesting properties; for instance, electroluminescence from CNT macroassemblies has been reported, suggesting that simpler photonic applications than those based on single tubes are possible for this material
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