Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 February 2011
ptical microcavity structures containing Si nanocrystals are fabricated by plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) of SiO2, Si3N4 and SiOx layers. The nanocrystals are formed within Si-rich oxide layers (SiOx) by precipitation and growth, and the microcavity structures defined by two parallel distributed Bragg mirrors (DBM) made from either alternate SiO2/Si3N4 layers or alternate SiO2/SiOx layers. In the latter case, Si nanocrystal layers form part of the DBM structure thereby providing a distributed emission source. The optical emission from these and related structures are examined and compared with that from isolated nanocrystal layers.