Growth of -FeSi nanocrystals by phase transition and enhancement of light emission property

Nishimura, Kentaro*; Nakajima, Takahito*; Nagasawa, Yoshiyuki*; Narumi, Kazumasa; Maeda, Yoshihito*

Photoluminescence (PL) properties have been investigated systematically for the -FeSi nanocrystals which were formed by controlling the phase transition from the -phase. Photoluminescence intensity of the FeSi nanocrystals was enhanced by a double thermal annealing in the phase transition process: the preannealing time at 500C surely controls amount of the -phase precipitated on Si(111), and the postannealing time at 800C dominates final amount of the -phase nanocrystals with coherent interfaces as well as the phase transition. It is speculated that the PL enhancement is attributed to the least defective interface between the nanocrystal and Si(111) induced by the phase transition by a double thermal annealing process.