Sol-gel Synthesis and Photoluminescence of InP Nanocrystals Embedded in Silica Glasses

III-Vsemiconductor nanocrystals rarely exist as spherical inclusions inside glasses, due to difficulties during their preparation, such as high toxic reagents or fast oxidation under usual glass technology temperatures. In this article a sol-gel method for synthesis of InP nanocrystals embedded in silica glasses was described. Gels were synthesized by hydrolysis of a complex solution of Si（OC_ 2 H_ 5 ）_ 4 , InCl_ 3 4H_ 2 O and PO（OC_ 2 H_ 5 ）_ 3 . Then, the gels were heated at 600 o C in the presence of H_ 2 gas to form fine cubic InP crystallites. Raman spectrum showed InP longitudinal-optic mode （342cm -1 ） and transverse-optic mode （303cm -1 ）. The size of InP nanocrystals was found to be from 2 to 8 nm in diameter by transmission electron microscopy. A strong photoluminescence with peaks at, 606, 730nm 856 nm was observed from 3InP/100SiO_ 2 nanocompositions. The temperature-and excitation power-dependent PL spectra from the nanocomposition are measured in order to confirm the origin of the PL spectra. These behaviors of the three peaks emissions suggest that 606, 733, and 856 nm emissions do not have the same origin. The PL with peak at 856nm arise from the cubic InP nanocrystallites embedded in the SiO_ 2 gel glasses. The 605 and 732 nm emissions may arise from the SiO_ 2 gel glass matrix or the interface between the InP crystallite core and SiO2 glass matrix.