Si/SiO2 nanocomposite by CVD infiltration of porous SiO2

The aim of the present paper is to report first results on an innovative method for producing Si/SiO2 nanocomposites. Starting from a porous oxide structure, we infiltrated Si by Chemical Vapour Deposition of SiH4, under controlled conditions. In this way, we succeeded in infiltrating Si into the SiO2 template. Porous oxide is obtained by dry oxidation of mesoporous Si. By means of the electrochemical process used for producing porous Si, an interconnected pore structure is obtained. This allows for Si infiltration, giving rise, in principle, to an interconnected network of Si crystallites, in which electrical carriers are easily driven. Efficient charge injection in Si nanocrystals is of crucial importance for several applications, from electroluminescence to memory devices.