0000000000350459
AUTHOR
M.a
EXAFS studies on the local structure of Er3+ ions in silica xerogels co-doped with aluminium
The local environment around Er3+ ions in wet and densified (at 900°C) silica xerogels (pure and co-doped with aluminium) has been studied at the Er L3-edge by X-ray absorption spectroscopy using the fluorescence detection technique. The radial distribution functions (RDF), reconstructed from X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), show several changes in the local co-ordination of erbium ions upon densification: shortening of the Er-O and Er-Si/Al distances, decrease of the co-ordination numbers and broadening of the Er-O RDF. The effect of Al co-doping is clearly discerned by EXAFS in both the first and second co-ordination shells for densified gels and mainly in the second shell for wet…
Residual crystalline silicon phase in silicon-rich-oxide films subjected to high temperature annealing
Structural properties of silicon rich oxide films (SRO) have been investigated by means of micro-Raman spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The layers were deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using different SiH4/O2 gas mixtures. The Raman spectra of the as-deposited SRO films are dominated by a broad band in the region 400-500 cm-1 typical of a highly disordered silicon network. After annealing at temperatures above 1000°C in N2, the formation of silicon nanocrystals is observed both in the Raman spectra and in the TEM images. However, most of the precipitated silicon does not crystallize and assumes an amorphous microstructure. © 2002 The Electrochem…