Experimental evidence for the quantum confinement effect in 3C-SiC nanocrystallites

Phys Rev Lett. 2005 Jan 21;94(2):026102. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.94.026102. Epub 2005 Jan 19.

Abstract

Using electrochemical etching of a polycrystalline 3C-SiC target and subsequent ultrasonic treatment in water solution, we have fabricated suspensions of 3C-SiC nanocrystallites that luminesce. Transmission electron microscope observations show that the 3C-SiC nanocrystallites, which uniformly disperse in water, have sizes in the range of 1-6 nm. Photoluminescence and photoluminescence excitation spectral examinations show clear evidence for the quantum confinement of 3C-SiC nanocrystallites with the emission band maximum ranging from 440 to 560 nm. Tunable, composite polystyrene/SiC film can be made by adding polystyrene to a toluene suspension of the 3C-SiC nanocrystallites and then coating the resulting solution onto a Si wafer.