Influence of thermal annealing on optical properties of porous silicon films

The influence of the thermal annealing on the optical properties of the porous silicon films was revealed by photoluminescence (PL) and spectroellipsometric measurements. As result of 200 degree(s)C annealing small changes of the dielectric functions could be understood by desorption process of some molecules from Si skeleton surface. Strong changes of PL and dielectric function spectra after the thermal annealing at high temperatures (up to 800 degree(s)C) were explained by the change of the passivation from hydrogen to oxygen and then the beginning of the oxidation process. This oxidation process produces the disappearance of the PL slow component, an important enhancement of PL (2-3 orders of magnitude) and a shift of maximum position to higher energies, corresponding to the thinning of the nanocrystallites from the Si skeleton.