Phenomenological theory of optical broadening in zero-dimensional systems applied to silicon nanocrystals

We develop a phenomenological theory of inhomogeneous broadening in zero-dimensional systems and apply it to study photoluminescence (PL) spectra of silicon nanocrystals measured at helium and room temperatures. The proposed approach allowed us to explain experimentally observed PL peak asymmetry, linear dependence of the peak width on its maximum and anomalous alteration of spectral characteristics with temperature increase.