Photoluminescence (PL) enhancement of Si nanocrystals (Si–NCs) embedded in SiO₂ matrix by high-pressure (30 bar) Ar passivation at moderately high temperatures has been observed. For the same pressure, time and temperature of passivation, the PL enhancement of Si–NCs for the Ar passivated sample is even larger than that for the regular H₂ passivated one. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurement shows that high-pressure Ar passivation causes more reduction in density of dangling bonds which are non-radiative recombination centers, than the regular H₂ one. Elemental depth profile analysis shows deep diffusion of Ar atoms into the sample after Ar passivation. The depth profile of PL enhancement after Ar passivation correlates properly with the Ar depth distribution. This effect of inert gas passivation also holds for the case of Kr passivation. The mechanism of such an effect could be that Ar atoms inside the sample alter Si dangling bonds into paired Si ones by a kind of annealing process of thermal atomic collision.

已经观察到，在中等高温下，高压（30 bar）Ar钝化可以使嵌入SiO ₂基质的Si纳米晶体（Si–NCs）的光致发光（PL）增强。在相同的压力，时间和钝化温度下，Ar钝化样品的Si–NCs的PL增强甚至比常规H ₂钝化样品的PL增强更大。电子顺磁共振（EPR）测量表明，与常规H ₂相比，高压Ar钝化导致作为非辐射复合中心的悬空键的密度降低更多一。元素深度分布分析表明，在Ar钝化之后，Ar原子会深度扩散到样品中。Ar钝化后PL增强的深度分布与Ar深度分布正确相关。惰性气体钝化的这种效果在Kr钝化的情况下也成立。这种作用的机理可能是样品中的Ar原子通过一种热原子碰撞的退火过程将Si的悬空键改变为成对的Si键。