It was recalled that, being an indirect-gap semiconductor, Si was poorly efficient as a light-emitter since radiative emission was limited by carrier recombination at non-radiative centres. One of the possible approaches to enhancing the radiative emission from Si was the controlled introduction of micro-(dislocations) or nano-(nanocrystals) structures, which, by providing quantum confinement of free carriers, prevented their diffusion towards non-radiative channels. Dislocations introduced in Si by plastic deformation and Si nanocrystals embedded in the amorphous Si matrix were investigated by junction spectroscopy and scanning probe microscopy methods.

Micro-and Nano-Structures in Silicon Studied by DLTS and Scanning Probe Methods. D.Cavalcoli, A.Cavallini, M.Rossi, S.Pizzini: Semiconductors, 2007, 41[4], 421-6