The aims of this work are the following:
To establish the main physico-chemical factors that determine the peculiarities of the semiconductor nanocrystal growths in the SiO2 matrix (SiO2:nc) under ion implantation, molecular-beam deposition and subsequent annealing.
To develop the physico-chemical background of the enhancing luminescence properties and of the modification of the non-linear optical and electrical properties of SiO2:nc under shallow impurity doping.
The work will be based on the previously revealed in the Physico-Technical Research Institute of Nizhnii Novgorod State University and in the Institute of Semiconductor Physics of SBRAS regularities of the photoluminescence variation in the SiO2 with imbedded Si nanocrystals (SiO2:Si) under excess Si concentration variation and under doping by donor impurity (phosphorus). In the frame of this Project, the influence of the various combination of Si doses, additional ion doping with the impurities (including shallow acceptors and donors) and annealing conditions on the nanocrystal growth processes and the properties of SiO2: Si will be established. The distributions of impurity atoms and their redistribution between nanoinclusions and matrix, the chemical states and the positions of these atoms in the lattice will be investigated. The theoretical analysis of the processes of nanocrystal growth and of the impurity effect on the luminescence and electrical properties of SiO2: Si will be carried out.
To reach the objectives of the project, the following experimental methods will be used: SIMS, electron spectroscopy, ESR, electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy. The computer and analytic modelling will be performed.
As a result of the Project, the following models will be developed: Si nanocrystal growth in SiO2 matrix; luminescence in SiO2: Si with impurity centres; the tunnel current in such a system. The fulfilment of the Project will give the essential contribution to the novel scientific field - Physics and Chemistry of the "Quantum dots in insulator matrix" - nanocompositions. Moreover, the results of the Project will be used in the future for the development of the new technology of production of effective optoelectronic and nanoelectronic silicon-based devices: light-emitters, non-linear optical units, and single-electron devices.