Transmission electron microscopy analysis of UV laser implanted gold nanoparticles and their influence on photoluminescence enhancement from silicon nanocrystals

Abstract

The photoluminescence of silicon nanocrystals is significantly enhanced via laser-based implantation of gold nanoparticles into silicon suboxide. This study is to explore in detail the nanoscale interactions between silicon nanocrystals embedded in the oxide matrix and gold nanoparticles through transmission electron microscopy. The influence of gold nanoparticle size and distance from the silicon nanocrystals is investigated and correlated with photoluminescence enhancement. A more than threefold enhancement in photoluminescence of silicon nanocrystals is observed, depending on the size and separation distance of the gold nanoparticles, demonstrating the efficiency of this straightforward and rapid laser-based method.