The band gap in silicon nanocrystallites

Silicon nanowire band gap modification.

Band gap modification for small-diameter (approximately 1 nm) silicon nanowires resulting from the use of different species for surface termination is investigated by density functional theory calculations. Because of quantum confinement, small-diameter wires exhibit a direct band gap that increases as the wire diameter narrows, irrespective of surface termination. This effect has been observed...

Dipole-allowed direct band gap silicon superlattices

Silicon is the most popular material used in electronic devices. However, its poor optical properties owing to its indirect band gap nature limit its usage in optoelectronic devices. Here we present the discovery of super-stable pure-silicon superlattice structures that can serve as promising materials for solar cell applications and can lead to the realization of pure Si-based optoelectronic d...

Photonic band-gap guidance in high-porosity luminescent porous silicon

Visible photonic band gap engineering in silicon nitride waveguides

We demonstrate experimentally the tuning of complete photonic band gaps in patterned silicon nitride waveguides. Transmission measurements were performed using an ultrabroadband high-brightness white light laser continuum, extracting extinction ratios as low as 10 in the gap regions. Angle-resolved measurements show the perfect alignment of the gap around the G-J direction. © 2000 American Inst...

Direct band gap structures on nanometer-scale, micromachined silicon tips

The selective deposition of compound semiconductors on single crystal silicon tip arrays produces optical quality, direct band gap materials on the silicon nanostructures. We demonstrate using the organometallic vapor phase epitaxy of GaInP that the direct band gap semiconductor nucleates selectively on the silicon tips. The structural properties of the tips ~whose radius of curvature is approx...