Matrix fabrication parameters, dependence

HRTEM studies have allowed determining the lattice parameter, ciystalhte size, as well as orientation of the silicon nanocrystals present in PS (Cole and Harvey 1992 CuUis and Canham 1991 Miinder et al. 1992 Lehmann et al. 1993 Frohnhoff et al. 1995 Martm-Pahna et al. 2002, 2004 Pascual et al. 2005 Wijesinghe et al. 2009). Pore size and nanoeiystal arrangement and distribution have been found to enormously depend on the particular fabrication technique and parameters. Under the appropriate fabrication conditions, the electrochemical etch of Si results in PS layers composed of Si nanocrystals with no preferential orientation embedded in an amorphous matrix (Martin-Pahna et al. 2002), as shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, the lattice parameter of the Si nanocrystals which compose PS has been found to increase with respect to that of bulk Si. This effect is also shown in Fig. 1. 

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