Silicon-Based Inorganic–Organic Hybrid Nanocomposites for Optoelectronic Applications

Abstract

A nanocomposite consisting of a unique combination of optically active materials, that is, an inorganic–organic (IO) layered hybrid and porous silicon (PS), is prepared using a simple but effective three-step electrochemical method. X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectral analysis suggest that the IO hybrid (R-MX4-type 2D perovskite, where R represents an organic compound, M a divalent metal ion, and X a halide) is conveniently incorporated into the interstitial spaces of nanoporous silicon. The IO-based 2D perovskite emits a strong and narrow room-temperature exciton line at 520 nm due to effects related to dielectric confinement. Similarly, n-type porous silicon emits in a broad range in the deep-red region at 700 nm, which is attributable to the quantum confinement effects related to the nanoporosity in silicon. Because of the contributions from both entities, the completely space-filled IO–PS nanocomposite shows an orange–yellow emission. The proposed methodology can be easily extended to a large number of such IO–PS functional nanocomposites and is thus expected to be used in optoelectronic applications such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), solar cells, and other optical elements.