Forming luminescent silicon material and electro-luminescent device containing that material

A process of forming a luminescent silicon material which comprises the steps of implanting silicon ions into a silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2) substrate, and annealing the substrate at an elevated temperature in an atmosphere comprising at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen for a period sufficient time to bring about precipitation of silicon nanocrystals dispersed through the SiO.sub.2 substrate and capable of exhibiting photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence, the process being characterized in that the thickness of the silicon dioxide layer is more than 100 nm-500 nm and the silicon dioxide layer is implanted with ions having an energy of at least 100 keV which is sufficient to penetrate the SiO.sub.2 layer with a projection range equal to or more than half the thickness of the SiO.sub.2 layer whereby there is produced a silicon material containing Si nanocrystals having an average particle size of about 30 .ANG. which is capable of producing photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence.

A process for forming a luminescent silicon material which comprises the steps of implanting silicon ions into a silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2) substrate, and annealing the substrate at an elevated temperature in an atmosphere comprising at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen for a period sufficient time to bring about precipitation of silicon nanocrystals dispersed through the substrate and capable of producing photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence, the process being characterized in that silicon ions are implanted at a dose of from 1.times.10.sup.17 /cm.sup.2 to less than that required to produce saturation and at an energy of at least 100 keV, and in that the thickness of the layer is more than 100 nm and the projection range or ranges of the implanted ions are chosen so that all the silicon is deposited in the oxide layer at a depth or depths with a projected range which is greater than three times the standard deviation of the range whereby there is produced a silicon material containing Si nanocrystals having an average particle size of about 30 .ANG. which is capable of producing photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence.

A process for forming a luminescent silicon material which comprises the steps of implanting silicon ions into a silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2) substrate, and annealing the substrate at an elevated temperature in an atmosphere comprising at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen for a period sufficient to bring about precipitation of silicon nanocrystals dispersed through the SiO.sub.2 substrate, said crystals exhibiting photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence, and said process being characterized in that silicon ions are implanted at an energy of at least 100 keV and at a dose of from 1.times.10.sup.17 /cm.sup.2 to less than that required to produced sputter-limited saturation, whereby there is produced a silicon material containing Si nanocrystals having an average particle size of about 30 .ANG. which is capable of producing photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence.

A process of forming a luminescent silicon material which comprises the steps of implanting silicon ions into a silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2) substrate, and annealing the substrate at an elevated temperature in an atmosphere comprising at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen for a period sufficient to bring about precipitation of silicon nanocrystals dispersed through the SiO.sub.2 substrate and capable of exhibiting photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence, the process being characterized in that the thickness of the silicon dioxide layer is more than 100 nm-500 nm and the silicon dioxide layer is implanted with ions having an energy of at least 100 keV which is sufficient to penetrate the SiO.sub.2 layer with a projection range equal to or more than half the thickness of the SiO layer, whereby there is produce a silicon material which is capable of producing photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence.

A process for forming a luminescent silicon material which comprises the steps of implanting silicon ions into a silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2) substrate, and annealing the substrate at an elevated temperature in an atmosphere comprising at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen for a period sufficient to bring about precipitation of silicon nanocrystals dispersed through the substrate and capable of producing photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence, the process being characterized in that silicon ions are implanted at a dose of from 1.times.10.sup.17 /cm.sup.2 to less than that required to produce saturation and at an energy of at least 100 keV, and in that the thickness of the layer is more than 100 nm and the projection range or ranges of the implanted ions are chosen so that all of the silicon is deposited in the oxide layer at a depth or depths with a projected range which is greater than three times the standard deviation of the range, whereby there is produced a silicon material which is capable of producing photoluminescence and/or electroluminescence.