Photoluminescence characterization of molecular beam epitaxial silicon

• Published in: Thin solid films 1989-12, Vol.183 (1), p.235-254
• Main Authors: Lightowlers, E.C., Higgs, V., Gregson, M.J., Davies, G., Davey, S.T., Gibbings, C.J., Tuppen, C.G., Schäffler, F., Kasper, E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0040-6090; 1879-2731
• DOI: 10.1016/0040-6090(89)90449-5

A review is given of the photoluminescence observed from silicon grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), with particular emphasis on recent work on material grown at temperatures carried out by the authors. The areas addressed are distinguishing between luminescence originating in the epitaxial layer and in the substrate, complexes formed by the incorporation of carbon and nitrogen, the suppression of bound-exciton luminescence from electrically active impurities and the effects of gettering by dislocations, and dislocation-related luminescence and the effects of transition metal contamination. It is shown that the suppression of bound-exciton luminescence from electrically active impurities is not an inherent property of MBE silicon grown at low temperatures and must be due to the presence of contaminants. The nature of the contaminants responsible and the mechanism of luminescence quenching has not been identified. It is also shown that dislocation-related D-band luminescence is associated with dislocations decorated by transition metals as distinct from undecorated dislocations.