Electron-phonon coupling and localization of excitons in single silicon nanocrystals

Nano Lett. 2008 Feb;8(2):656-60. doi: 10.1021/nl0731163. Epub 2008 Jan 16.

Abstract

We report a detailed photoluminescence (PL) study on single silicon nanocrystals produced by laser pyrolysis. The PL spectra reveal nearly homogeneously broadened zero-phonon lines coupled to Si-O-Si phonon transitions in the SiO2 shell. A systematic investigation of electron-phonon coupling is reported on the basis of single nanocrystals. The stepwise localization of electron and hole at the Si-SiO2 interface for nanocrystals smaller than d approximately 2.7 nm is driven by electron-phonon coupling. From the localization energies the effective Bohr radii of the (localized) electron and hole are estimated to be in the range of 1-2 bond lengths of Si-O and Si-Si.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Electron Transport
  • Electrons
  • Light
  • Materials Testing
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Particle Size
  • Photons
  • Radiation Dosage
  • Silicon / chemistry*

Substances

  • Silicon