Structural characteristics and luminescence properties of B‐doped silicon nanocrystals (Si‐ncs) embedded in a SiO₂ matrix elaborated by ion beam synthesis are investigated. The use of atom probe tomography gives a unique opportunity to experimentally evidence the exact location and composition of B atoms in doped Si‐ncs. These experiments allow to conclude about a favored B location at the periphery of the Si‐ncs depending on their size. In this way, two categories of Si‐ncs can be described: 1) largest Si‐ncs that are B‐doped and where B atoms are located at the Si‐ncs/SiO₂ interface, and 2) smallest Si‐ncs that remain undoped but seem to be surrounded by a B‐rich SiO₂ shell. These structural characteristics (composition and diameters) are correlated to the photoluminescence properties of these Si‐ncs. These measurements show the well‐known quenching of Si‐ncs luminescence due to high B doping, which allows us to conclude about the environment changes brought by the presence of B in Si‐ncs or of B‐rich shell around Si‐ncs.

中文翻译：

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嵌入硅中的B掺杂Si纳米晶体的相关结构和发光分析

研究了通过离子束合成精心制作的B掺杂硅纳米晶体（Si-ncs）嵌入SiO ₂基体的结构特性和发光特性。原子探针层析成像的使用提供了独特的机会，可以通过实验证明掺杂的Si-ncs中B原子的确切位置和组成。这些实验可以根据Si-nc的大小得出结论，确定其在Si-ncs外围的有利位置。通过这种方式，可以描述两类Si-ncs：1）掺有B的最大Si-ncs，其中B原子位于Si-ncs / SiO ₂界面处，以及2）剩余的最小Si-ncs未掺杂但似乎被富含B的SiO ₂包围贝壳。这些结构特征（组成和直径）与这些Si-ncs的光致发光特性相关。这些测量结果表明，众所周知，由于高B掺杂导致Si-ncs发光猝灭，这使我们可以得出结论，即由于Si-ncs中存在B或Si-ncs周围富含B的壳而带来的环境变化。