Photoluminescence of Si nanocrystals under selective excitation

Photoluminescence of Si nanocrystals passivated by different alkanes (hexane, octane, and tridecane) was studied at room temperature. It is shown that the emission band shape is not affected by the length of the carbon chain in the alkanes used for passivation. A pronounced fine structure of the photoluminescence band consisting of peaks separated by 150–160 meV was observed under resonant excitation. The structure is interpreted by predominant contribution from Si nanocrystal groups with particular stable size/shape existing in addition to the previously reported nanocrystals with “magic” numbers of Si atoms. The contribution of these stable nanocrystals is revealed using selective resonant photoexcitation to the higher energy states in the discrete energy spectrum of such nanocrystals.