Abstract: The amorphous silicon nanoparticles (Si NPs) embedded in silicon nitride (SiN_x) films prepared by helicon wave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (HWP-CVD) technique are studied. From Raman scattering investigation, we determine that the deposited film has the structure of silicon nanocrystals embedded in silicon nitride (nc-Si/SiNx) thin film at a certain hydrogen dilution amount. The analysis of optical absorption spectra implies that the Si NPs is affected by quantum size effects and has the nature of an indirect-band-gap semiconductor. Further, considering the effects of the mean Si NP size and their dispersion on oscillator strength, and quantum-confinement, we obtain an analytical expression for the spectral absorbance of ensemble samples. Gaussian as well as lognormal size-distributions of the Si NPs are considered for optical absorption coefficient calculations. The influence of the particle
size-distribution on the optical absorption spectra was systematically studied. We present the fitting of the optical absorption experimental data with our model and discuss the results.

Key words: optical absorption, silicon nanoparticles, quantum size effects, oscillator strength, silicon nitride film