Electroluminescence from Au/extra thin nanosize Ge particles embedded silicon oxide film/p-Si and Au/extra thin nanosize Si particles embedded silicon oxide film/p-Si

We present a comparative study of electroluminescence from Au/extra thin nanosize Ge particles embedded silicon oxide film/p-Si structures and that from Au/extra thin nanosize Si particles embedded silicon oxide film/p-Si structures. Annealed at a series of temperatures, the two types of structures have strikingly similar electroluminescence spectra at each of annealing temperature, and each of the spectra has a peak around 640 nm and a shoulder around 510 nm. Such striking similarities can be reasonably interpreted if the origin of electroluminescence is attributed to the luminescence centers in the silicon oxide films rather than to nanosize Ge particles or nanosize Si particles.