Nanoparticle-Induced Light Emission from Multi-Functionalized Silicon

A “plug and play” approach in which sonochemically synthesized amorphous Fe2O3 nanoparticles are incorporated onto device quality Si wafers is demonstrated. After annealing the amorphous Fe2O3 nanoparticles (see Figure) they change their properties from superparamagnetic to soft ferromagnetic. The samples exhibit multiple light emissions with wavelength that are crucial for optical fiber communications (see also inside front cover).