Photoluminescence spectroscopy of single silicon quantum dots

Photoluminescence (PL) from single silicon quantum dots have been recorded and spectrally resolved at room temperature. The Si nanocrystals (NCs) were fabricated using electron-beam lithography and reactive ion etching resulting in Si nanopillars that were subsequently oxidized to produce luminescent silicon cores. The NCs are organized in a regular matrix which enables repeated observation of a specific single NC. By reflection and PL imaging, the emission is shown to originate from the Si nanopillars. The single-NC PL spectrum has a single band with a width of ∼130 meV. The emission is polarized in arbitrary directions suggestive of geometrical differences in the shape of the nanocrystals. The quantum efficiency of the PL has been found to reach as much as 35% for some nanocrystals. Our experiments support the quantum-confinement model for the PL emission of Si nanocrystals and elucidate the critical role of defect passivation.