Electroluminescence of as-sputtered silicon-rich SiOx films

Si-rich oxide films (SiOx, 0 < x < 2) were synthesized by reactive magnetron sputtering of a single Si target in a gas mixture of argon and oxygen. Intense visible electroluminescence was observed from the as-deposited SiOx film. The microstructure of the as-sputtered SiOx films was characterized by Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy techniques. Nanoscale amorphous Si clusters formed in the as-sputtered films. The electroluminescence was attributed to the oxygen-deficient defect luminescent centres and the formation of the amorphous Si nanoclusters.