Electronic transport in Si-SiO2 nanocomposite films

We report experimental investigations and modeling of the electronic transport in Si-SiO2 nanocomposite films. The current-voltage characteristics measured at room temperature are interpreted as due to high field-assisted tunneling. The activation energies from the current-temperature curves are given by the energy separations between quantum confinement electronic states, determined from a quantum well model. Consequently, the calculated mean diameter of a nanodot (5.2 nm) is in good agreement with the microstructure data (5 nm). Also, the potential barrier between nanocrystalline Si and amorphous SiO2, previously obtained for nanocrystalline oxidized porous Si (2.2 eV), is confirmed.