Si Wires in SOI Configuration.

Si is a poor luminescent material in comparison with direct bandgap semiconductors such as GaAs, or InP. Thus, the room temperature photoluminescence PL from porous Si pi-Si has attracted a great deal of attraction 1. Although Pickering et al. 2 had previously reported on PL from pi-Si attributing it to a complex mixture of phases, i.e., alpha-SiO andor alpha-SiH, the interpretation by Canham and Lehman et al. 3 in terms of quantum-confinement effects has stimulated intense research efforts aimed at a comprehensive understanding of the underlying physical mechanisms. To date, however, a clear picture has yet to emerge.