The photoluminescence decay characteristics of silicon nanocrystals in dense ensembles fabricated by ion implantation into silicon dioxide are observed to vary in proportion to the calculated local density of optical states. A comparison of the experimental $1∕e$ photoluminescence decay rates to the expected spontaneous emission rate modification yields values for the internal quantum efficiency and the intrinsic radiative decay rate of silicon nanocrystals. A photoluminescence quantum efficiency as high as $59\%\pm 9\%$ is found for nanocrystals emitting at $750\mathrm{nm}$ at low excitation power. A power dependent nonradiative decay mechanism reduces the quantum efficiency at high pump intensity.

• Received 13 September 2005

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.73.132302