Mechanism of boron diffusion in amorphous silicon

We have elucidated the mechanism for B migration in the amorphous (a-) Si network. B diffusivity in a-Si is much higher than in crystalline Si; it is transient and increases with B concentration up to 2 x 1020 B/cm3. At higher density, B atoms in a-Si quickly precipitate. B diffusion is indirect, mediated by dangling bonds (DB) present in a-Si. The density of DB is enhanced by B accommodation in the a-Si network and decreases because of a-Si relaxation. Accurate data simulations allow one to extract the DB diffusivity, whose activation energy is 2.6 eV. Implications of these results are discussed.

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Role of the Si excess on the excitation of Er doped SiOx

The authors have investigated the role of the Si excess on the photoluminescence properties of Er doped substoichiometric SiOx layers. They demonstrate that the Si excess has two competing roles: when agglomerated to form Si nanoclusters Si-nc’s it enhances the Er excitation efficiency but it also introduces new nonradiative decay channels. When Er is excited through an energy transfer from Si-nc’s, the beneficial effect on the enhanced excitation efficiency prevails and the Er emission increases with increasing Si content. However, when pumped resonantly, the Er luminescence intensity always decreases with increasing Si content. These data are presented and their implications are discussed.

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University of Catania

Laurea Specialistica (M.Sc. equivalent) in Physics, summa cum laude at University of Catania
Thesis: Ruolo del contenuto di silicio sulla luminescenza di ioni Er in matrici di ossido di silicio substechiometrico (Role of the silicon content in substoichiometric silicon oxide matrices on the Er luminescence)
Advisors: prof. Francesco Priolo, dr. Giorgia Franzò
Date: 2006, October 11

Laurea (B.Sc. equivalent) in Physics, summa cum laude at University of Catania
Thesis: Confinamento quantico in nanocristalli di silicio (Quantum confinement effects in silicon nanocrystals)
Advisors: prof. Francesco Priolo, dr. Domenico Pacifici
Date: 2004, September 30

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