Photolumineseence analysis of white-emitting si nanoparticles using effective mass approximation method

Commercial interests in white-light-emitting devices are growing, as is the need for nanophosphors based on semiconductor nanoparticles, in which changing the size distribution produces marked changes in color. Silicon, which is abundant, cheap, and nontoxic, is an ideal material for nanophosphors even though synthesis routes for 11-VI nanoparticles like CdSe are well established. Silicon nanoparticles (1 to 5 nm in diameter), with photoluminescence quantum efficiencies exceeding 20 %,¹⁾ could be useful as the emissive phosphor layer in solidstate light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for general illumination purposes. The small diameter of the nanoparticles, much smaller than the wavelength of visible light, might eliminate light scattering and associated optical losses.