Enhancement of electroluminescent properties in ethanol dispersible nanocrystalline silicon particles

We have fabricated two kinds of electroluminescent (EL) devices of which the luminous layer differs in order to improve an amount of injected carriers into the nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si) particles. These EL devices showed red luminescence by the injection of carriers into the nc-Si particles after applying the direct current voltage. A large amount of carriers could be injected in the EL device prepared by the adhesion of ethanol dispersible nc-Si particles onto the dimples of Si substrate. The increase in the amount of injected carriers led to the enhancement of luminescent intensity. These results were achieved by the reduction of oxide layer surrounding nc-Si particles and the use of nc-Si particles without the nonradiative recombination centers (P-b centers).