Macroscopic and microscopic luminescence properties of silicon nanoparticles

Photoluminescent silicon nanocrystals (SiNcs) are a material drawing considerable attention in the scientific community due to its prospective application both in optoelectronics and bio-imaging. We have recently prepared a novel type of colloidal SiNcs with methyl-based capping, whose photoluminescence (PL) properties are significantly enhanced when compared to traditional SiNcs with oxide surface (higher quantum efficiency, significantly shorter radiative lifetime, high optical quality) [ACS Nano 4, 4495 (2010)]. Within the framework of the proposed project, we would like to gain deeper insight into macrosopic PL properties of this material, including the possible role of the solvent in further enhancing PL, as well as study the processes underlying the emission of light by microscopic optical experiments, in particular blinking. Since quite few blinking experiments have been performed on SiNcs worldwide so far and the results were somewhat contradictory, this research has potential to significantly contribute to the knowledge of nanoscale photophysics at this material.