Soft X-ray spectroscopy of oxide-embedded and functionalized silicon nanocrystals

An X-ray absorption spectroscopic investigation into the electronic and optical properties of silicon nanocrystals (Si-NCs) derived from the thermal processing of hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) is presented. Hydrofluoric (HF) acid etching and subsequent photochemical hydrosilylation with styrene liberates the as-synthesized oxide-embedded Si-NCs from their matrix and renders them solution dispersible through the formation of surface Si–C bonds. The impact of this process on the photoluminescence behavior exhibited by these materials has been studied through near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) and X-ray excited optical luminescence (XEOL) spectroscopies.