Abstract
Porous silicon (PSi) fabricated by a chemical route was successfully separated in 1,4-dioxane and then incorporated in a sol-gel host. The properties of PSi in both solution and a sol-gel environment were investigated using optical techniques, and strong luminescence was observed. The morphology of PSi was similar in solution and the sol-gel, with particles positioned close together. The PSi samples were highly crystalline. Transmission electron microscopy of PSi in solution revealed that the particles were monodisperse and roughly spherical in shape, with a diameter of around 5 nm. The effect of embedding PSi in a sol-gel matrix on its optical properties was investigated. Changes in the photoluminescence peaks of PSi during the phase transition from sol to dried gel were observed. PSi exhibited good photoluminescence stability in the sol-gel matrix, and crack-free sol-gel rods were obtained.