A study of the blue photoluminescence emission from thermally-grown, Si+ -implanted SiO2 films after short-time annealing

Thermal SiO2 films have been implanted with Si+ ions using double-energy implants (200 + 100 keV) at a substrate temperature of about -20 °C to total doses in the range 1.6 x 1016 - 1.6 x 1017 cm-2 followed by short-time thermal processing, in order to form a Si nanostructure capable of yielding blue photoluminescence (PL). The intensity and the peak position of the PL band have been investigated as a function of ion dose, manner of heat treatment, anneal time and anneal temperature. For the formation
of blue PL emitting centres, optimum processing conditions in terms of excess Si concentration and overall thermal budget are mandatory. The nature of the observed blue emission is discussed.