Luminescence decay dynamics of germanium nanocrystals in silicon

TL;DR

This study investigates how germanium nanocrystals embedded in silicon emit light over time, revealing temperature-dependent decay times and non-radiative processes affecting luminescence efficiency.

Contribution

It provides detailed analysis of luminescence decay dynamics in germanium nanocrystals within silicon across a wide temperature range, highlighting non-radiative decay mechanisms.

Findings

Decay time is ~50 ns at room temperature

Decay extends to microseconds at low temperatures

Non-radiative processes dominate decay with thermal activation energy of a few meV

Abstract

The dynamics of the luminescence decay from germanium nanocrystals embedded in crystalline silicon has been studied for temperatures varied between 16 K and room temperature. At room temperature the characteristic decay time is of the order of 50 nanoseconds while it extends into the microsecond range at low temperatures. The decay is dominated by non-radiative processes, which show a typical thermal activation energy of a few meV.