Synthesis, structure, and photoluminescence of very thin and wide alpha silicon nitride (α-Si3N4) single-crystalline nanobelts

Large quantities of very thin and wide single-crystal alpha silicon nitride (alpha-Si3N4) nanobelts were synthesized by a vapor-solid thermal reaction between ammonia and silicon monoxide (SiO) without using any added catalyst. Scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction were used to characterize the formed nanobelts. The single-crystal alpha-Si3N4 nanobelts are about 800-1200 nm in width, 20-35 nm in thickness and about several tens to several hundreds of micrometers in length. The nanobelts are perfect in structure. The nanobelts grow along [011] and [100] direction. Intense visible photoluminescence (PL) occurring on the wide and thin nanobelts over a broad spectrum ranging from 420 to 750 nm was observed. The visible PL emission is related to the inherently imperfect Si and N dangling bonds in the alpha-Si3N4 structure. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.