Blue-green luminescence from porous silicon carbide

Porous silicon carbide has been fabricated using single crystal 6H-SiC that has a wider indirect band gap than silicon crystal. Intense blue-green luminescence has been observed at room temperature. The peak wavelength is around 460 nm, below the band gap of crystalline SiC. The luminescence intensity is about 100 times stronger than that of crystalline 6H-SiC. These results not only clarify the origin of luminescence in porous Si but also point to the possibility of the use of this new material for an intense blue-green luminescent source.