AI Article Synopsis
- There is ongoing debate about the source of photoluminescence in silicon nanocrystals.
- The study measures the effects of pressure on X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence in alkane-terminated colloidal particles, revealing a notable red shift in photoluminescence that corresponds with certain electronic transitions in bulk silicon.
- The findings imply that the effective photoluminescence is due to core states rather than defects, challenging previous assumptions.
Article Abstract
A lack of consensus persists regarding the origin of photoluminescence in silicon nanocrystals. Here we report pressure-dependences of X-ray diffraction and photoluminescence from alkane-terminated colloidal particles. We determine the diamond-phase bulk modulus, observe multiple phase transitions, and importantly find a systematic photoluminescence red shift that matches the X(conduction)-to-Γ(valence) transition of bulk crystalline silicon. These results, reinforced by calculations, suggest that the efficient photoluminescence, frequently attributed to defects, arises instead from core-states that remain highly indirect despite quantum confinement.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/nl301787g | DOI Listing |
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