Influence of surface Si-Ag bonds on photoluminescence of porous silicon

Abstract

Porous silicon with surface Si-Ag bonds was prepared by depositing Ag on conventional electrochemically prepared porous silicon using electrodeposition method, and the influence of surface-bonded Ag on photoluminescence properties of the material was studied. Photoluminescence intensity of porous silicon increases with the amount of surface Si-Ag bonds formed during electrochemical deposition. Further treatment leads to increased amounts of Ag-O and Ag-Ag bonds on the material surface. Such layers of oxygen-bonded and metallic Ag are shown to retard the light emission from porous silicon. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.