Atomistic models of Si nanocrystals embedded in Si-rich nitride and oxide matrices

ORAL

Abstract

Several experimental techniques have been recently developed to precipitate Si nano-crystals in nitride and oxide amorphous matrices, and photo-luminescence of these nanoparticles has been reported by several authors. However the role played by the nanocrystal/host interface in determining the optical properties of the nanocrystals is not yet understood and no atomistic model of the interface is available. Using techniques recently developed to study nucleation in supercooled liquid silicon , we derive realistic models of nanocrystal/matrix interfaces; in particular, we simulate the nucleation of crystalline Si nanoparticles from Si-rich nitride and oxide supercooled liquids, by means of molecular dynamics coupled to advanced sampling techniques. Such an approach allows one to closely mimic experimental conditions, without any assumptions on either the shape of nanocrystals or the defect concentration at the interface. The composite structure obtained in our simulations can then be used as input for {\em ab initio} calculations to investigate the opto-electronic properties of the nanocrystals.

*This work is supported by DOE/BES DE-FG02-06ER46262 and DOE/SciDAC DE-FC02-06ER25794.

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Authors

  • Tianshu Li

    • Department of Chemistry, University of California Davis
    • University of California, Davis
    • Dept. Chemistry, UC Davis
    • Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, CA 95616

  • Davide Donadio

    • Dept. Chemistry, UC Davis
    • Dept. of Chemistry, UC Davis
    • Department of Chemistry, UC Davis, USA

  • Francois Gygi

    • Department of Applied Science and Department of Computer Science, University of California Davis
    • University of California Davis
    • Dept. Applied Science \& Dept. Computer Science, UC Davis
    • UC Davis
    • Dept. of Applied Science and Dept. of Computer Science, UC Davis

  • Giulia Galli

    • Dept. of Chemistry and Dept. of Physics, UC Davis
    • Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics, University of California Davis
    • Dept of Chemistry \& Dept Physics, UC Davis
    • Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics, UC Davis, USA
    • Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics, University of California, Davis
    • UC Davis
    • Department of Chemistry, University of California, Davis, USA
    • University of California, Davis
    • Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616
    • Department of Chemistry and Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
    • Chemistry Department and Physics Department UC Davis, Davis CA