Evaluation of cytotoxicity, photoluminescence, bio-imaging, and sonosensitizing properties of silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) prepared by ultrasound grinding of porous silicon nanowires (SiNWs) have been investigated. SiNWs were formed by metal (silver)-assisted wet chemical etching of heavily boron-doped (100)-oriented single crystalline silicon wafers. The prepared SiNWs and aqueous suspensions of SiNPs exhibit efficient room temperature photoluminescence (PL) in the spectral region of 600 to 1,000 nm that is explained by the radiative recombination of excitons confined in small silicon nanocrystals, from which SiNWs and SiNPs consist of. On the one hand, in vitro studies have demonstrated low cytotoxicity of SiNPs and possibilities of their bio-imaging applications. On the other hand, it has been found that SiNPs can act as efficient sensitizers of ultrasound-induced suppression of the viability of Hep-2 cancer cells.

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Porous silicon nanowire arrays are shown to be used for optical detection of molecular oxygen (O 2 ). The samples are produced by metal assisted chemical etching of heavily boron-doped wafers of crystalline silicon. It is found that the photoluminescence signal from porous silicon nanowires quenched in O 2 ambience but restored again in N 2 atmosphere, which repeated in several cycles. Electron paramagnetic resonance data demonstrate that number of silicon dangling bonds (Pb-center) increases after O 2 adsorption, but then drops in vacuum. The experimental results are explained by a microscopic model taking into account the reversible charging/recharging of surface defects (Pb-centers) due to the oxygen adsorption/desorption. The obtained results indicate that porous silicon nanowires are prospective for applications as reversible optical gas sensor.

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Light propagation in silicon nanowire layers is studied via Raman scattering, third-harmonic generation and cross-correlation function measurements. The studied silicon nanowire arrays are characterized by a wire diameter of 50-100 nm and a layer thickness ranging from 0.2-16 μm. These structures are mesoscopic for light in the visible and near infrared ranges. The Raman signal increases monotonically with layer thickness increases at a 1.064 μm pump wavelength. The Stokes component for silicon nanowire arrays with a thickness larger than 2 μm exceeds that for crystalline silicon by more than an order. At the mentioned thicknesses, an increase is also registered for the third-harmonic signal, one that is up to fourfold greater than that for crystalline silicon for a 1.25 μm pump wavelength. Measurements of cross-correlation functions for the scattered photons evidence the significant photon lifetime increase in the silicon nanowire layers at their thickness increase. This fact can be connected with multiple scattering inside the studied mesoscopic structures and the increase of the interaction length for the Raman and third-harmonic generation processes.