Electronic structures and optical properties of butyl-passivated Si nanoparticles

We have carried out various spectroscopic studies of n-butyl-passivated Si nanoparticles synthesized by solution routes. The photolummescence (PL) spectrum of n-butyl-passivated Si nanoparticles with mean diameter less than about 2 nm exhibits a strong emission around 3.3 eV photon energy. PL excitation (PLE) spectrum exhibits a distinct resonance around 4 eV in photon energy. Furthermore, we have carried out the valence-band photoemission measurements using synchrotron radiation in order to directly investigate their electronic structures in the vicinity of the Fermi level. From these results, the detailed optical properties and electronic structures of n-butyl-passivated Si nanoparticles are discussed. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.