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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Low-energy Cathodoluminescence for (Oxy)Nitride Phosphors
Published on: November 15, 2016
Direct-bandgap luminescence at room-temperature from highly-strained Germanium nanocrystals
Latha Nataraj1, Fan Xu, Sylvain G Cloutier
1Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University of Delaware, 140 Evans Hall, Newark, DE 19716, USA.
Abstract:
Efficient room-temperature luminescence at optical telecommunication wavelengths and originating from direct band-to-band recombination has been observed in tensile-strained germanium nanocrystals synthesized by mechanical grinding techniques. Selected area electron diffraction, micro-Raman and optical-absorption spectroscopy measurements indicate high tensile-strains while combined photoluminescence spectroscopy, excitation-power evolution and time-resolved measurements suggest direct band-to-band recombination. Such band-engineered germanium nanocrystals offer great possibilities for silicon-photonics integration due to their superb light-emission properties, facile fabrication and compatibility with standard microelectronic processes.
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