Photoluminescence of Ge nanoparticles embedded in SiO2 glasses fabricated by a sol–gel method

Ge nanoparticles with different sizes in silica glasses were prepared by a sol–gel method using Cl3–Ge–C2H4–COOH as a Ge source. The size of the Ge nanoparticles decreases with a reduction in the content of Ge in the starting materials, and thus the optical absorption edge shifts to a higher energy. Silica gel glasses doped with Ge nanoparticles showed a strong room-temperature photoluminescence with peaks at 568, 607, 672, 722, and 775 nm. The peak position of photoluminescence spectrum scarcely depends on the Ge/Si ratio. However, the photoluminescence intensity increases sharply as the Ge/Si ratio is reduced. The photoluminescence arises from the Ge clusters of diameter of <1–2 nm with a molecular character instead of nanocrystalline Ge with the diamond structure.