Dramatic enhancement of photoluminescence quantum yields for surface-engineered Si nanocrystals within the solar spectrum

Vladimir Svrcek; Katerina Dohnalova; Davide Mariotti; Minh Tuan Trinh; Rens Limpens; Somak Mitra; Tom Gregorkiewicz; Koiji Matsubara; Michio Kondo

doi:10.1002/adfm.201301468

Dramatic enhancement of photoluminescence quantum yields for surface-engineered Si nanocrystals within the solar spectrum

Vladimir Svrcek^*, Katerina Dohnalova, Davide Mariotti, Minh Tuan Trinh, Rens Limpens, Somak Mitra, Tom Gregorkiewicz, Koiji Matsubara, Michio Kondo

^*Corresponding author for this work

Design, Manufacturing And Engineering Management

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Substantial improvements of the absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) for surfactant-free silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) by atmospheric pressure microplasma 3-dimensional surface engineering are reported. The effect of surface characteristics on carrier multiplication mechanisms is explored using transient induced absorption and photoluminescence QY. Surface engineering of Si-ncs is demonstrated to lead to more than 120 times increase in the absolute QY (from 0.1% up to 12%) within an important spectral range of the solar emission (2.3-3 eV). The Si-ncs QY is shown to be stable when Si-ncs are stored in ethanol at ambient conditions for three months. Dramatic improvements in the absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) and stability of surfactant-free 3D surface- engineered silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) within an important spectral region are demonstrated. The microplasma-induced 3D surface engineering results in more than 120 times enhancement QY for low energy photons (<2.7 eV) and ≈15 times higher for high energy photons (3.5-4.8 eV).

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	6051-6058
Number of pages	8
Journal	Advanced Functional Materials
Volume	23
Issue number	48
Early online date	2 Jul 2013
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201301468
Publication status	Published - 23 Dec 2013

Funding

This work was partially supported by a NEDO project and FOM (Stichting voor Fundamenteel Onderzoek der Materie), NanoNext, and the Technology Foundation STW. The TEM analysis was supported by the Science Foundation Ireland National Access Programme (Project n. 283). D.M. acknowledges the support of the JSPS Invitation Fellowship, JSPS Bridge Fellowship, the University of Ulster Strategic Research Fund, the Leverhulme International Network on “Materials processing by atmospheric pressure plasmas for energy applications” (Award n.IN-2012–136) and by the Royal Society International Exchanges scheme (Award n.IE120884). S.M. thanks the financial support of the University of Ulster Vice-Chancellor Studentship.

Keywords

carrier multiplication
nanocrystals
semiconductors
solar cells

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10.1002/adfm.201301468

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title = "Dramatic enhancement of photoluminescence quantum yields for surface-engineered Si nanocrystals within the solar spectrum",

abstract = "Substantial improvements of the absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) for surfactant-free silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) by atmospheric pressure microplasma 3-dimensional surface engineering are reported. The effect of surface characteristics on carrier multiplication mechanisms is explored using transient induced absorption and photoluminescence QY. Surface engineering of Si-ncs is demonstrated to lead to more than 120 times increase in the absolute QY (from 0.1\% up to 12\%) within an important spectral range of the solar emission (2.3-3 eV). The Si-ncs QY is shown to be stable when Si-ncs are stored in ethanol at ambient conditions for three months. Dramatic improvements in the absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) and stability of surfactant-free 3D surface- engineered silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) within an important spectral region are demonstrated. The microplasma-induced 3D surface engineering results in more than 120 times enhancement QY for low energy photons (<2.7 eV) and ≈15 times higher for high energy photons (3.5-4.8 eV).",

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author = "Vladimir Svrcek and Katerina Dohnalova and Davide Mariotti and Trinh, \{Minh Tuan\} and Rens Limpens and Somak Mitra and Tom Gregorkiewicz and Koiji Matsubara and Michio Kondo",

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AU - Svrcek, Vladimir

AU - Dohnalova, Katerina

AU - Mariotti, Davide

AU - Trinh, Minh Tuan

AU - Limpens, Rens

AU - Mitra, Somak

AU - Gregorkiewicz, Tom

AU - Matsubara, Koiji

AU - Kondo, Michio

PY - 2013/12/23

Y1 - 2013/12/23

N2 - Substantial improvements of the absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) for surfactant-free silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) by atmospheric pressure microplasma 3-dimensional surface engineering are reported. The effect of surface characteristics on carrier multiplication mechanisms is explored using transient induced absorption and photoluminescence QY. Surface engineering of Si-ncs is demonstrated to lead to more than 120 times increase in the absolute QY (from 0.1% up to 12%) within an important spectral range of the solar emission (2.3-3 eV). The Si-ncs QY is shown to be stable when Si-ncs are stored in ethanol at ambient conditions for three months. Dramatic improvements in the absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) and stability of surfactant-free 3D surface- engineered silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) within an important spectral region are demonstrated. The microplasma-induced 3D surface engineering results in more than 120 times enhancement QY for low energy photons (<2.7 eV) and ≈15 times higher for high energy photons (3.5-4.8 eV).

AB - Substantial improvements of the absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) for surfactant-free silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) by atmospheric pressure microplasma 3-dimensional surface engineering are reported. The effect of surface characteristics on carrier multiplication mechanisms is explored using transient induced absorption and photoluminescence QY. Surface engineering of Si-ncs is demonstrated to lead to more than 120 times increase in the absolute QY (from 0.1% up to 12%) within an important spectral range of the solar emission (2.3-3 eV). The Si-ncs QY is shown to be stable when Si-ncs are stored in ethanol at ambient conditions for three months. Dramatic improvements in the absolute photoluminescence quantum yield (QY) and stability of surfactant-free 3D surface- engineered silicon nanocrystals (Si-ncs) within an important spectral region are demonstrated. The microplasma-induced 3D surface engineering results in more than 120 times enhancement QY for low energy photons (<2.7 eV) and ≈15 times higher for high energy photons (3.5-4.8 eV).

KW - carrier multiplication

KW - nanocrystals

KW - semiconductors

KW - solar cells

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DO - 10.1002/adfm.201301468

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:84890798206

SN - 1616-301X

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SP - 6051

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JO - Advanced Functional Materials

JF - Advanced Functional Materials

IS - 48

ER -

Dramatic enhancement of photoluminescence quantum yields for surface-engineered Si nanocrystals within the solar spectrum

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

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