Enhancement of porous silicon photoluminescence by chemical and electrochemical infiltration of conducting polymers

Novel nanocomposites of conducting polymers and mesoporous silicon with pore sizes <50 nm have been successfully fabricated by chemical and electrochemical techniques. The electrochemically infiltrated polymers (polypyrrole, polyaniline, polythiophene) are more homogeneously deposited deep into the nanopores compared to the spin-coated polymer poly(2-methoxy-5-(2-ethyl-hexyloxy)-1,4-phenylene-vinylene). The fluorescent light intensity of as-formed nanocomposites was significantly enhanced after polymer infiltration. The infiltrated polymers likely passivate existing nonradiative channels. Exciton transfer takes place from the porous silicon matrix to the conducting polymers.

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