Impact of the annealing temperature on the optical performances of Er-doped Si-rich silica systems

Journal of Applied Physics

Labbé

Cardin

et al. 2010

Articles you may be interested inResonant structures based on amorphous silicon suboxide doped with Er 3 + with silicon nanoclusters for an efficient emission at 1550 nm J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 27, L38 (2009) This study investigates the influence of the deposition temperature T d on the Si-mediated excitation of Er ions within silicon-rich silicon oxide layers obtained by magnetron cosputtering. For T d exceeding 200°C, an efficient indirect excitation of Er ions is observed for all as-deposited samples. The photoluminescence intensity improves gradually up to a maximum at T d = 600°C before decreasing for higher T d values. The effects of this "growth-induced annealing" are compared to those resulting from the same thermal budget used for the "classical" approach of postdeposition annealing performed after a room temperature deposition. It is demonstrated that the former approach is highly beneficial, not only in terms of saving time but also in the fourfold enhancement of the Er photoluminescence efficiency.

Section: Efficient Energy Transfer From Si-nanoclusters To Er Ions Insupporting

confidence: 62%

Section: Efficient Energy Transfer From Si-nanoclusters To Er Ions Inmentioning

confidence: 99%

Efficient energy transfer from Si-nanoclusters to Er ions in silica induced by substrate heating during deposition

Journal of Applied Physics

Labbé

Cardin

et al. 2010

“…Such a process allowed the formation of Si-nc sensitizers and then the observation of Er photoluminescence (PL) under non resonant optical excitation. However, our group has recently observed an Er PL under these indirect excitation conditions on the asdeposited samples at about 500°C [13][14][15]. The Er emission was improved after annealing at about 600°C, and this aspect was also confirmed by another team on similarly sputtered layers [16].…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 56%

“…It is indeed crucial to nanoengineer the density and distribution of both Er 3+ ions and Si-based sensitizers within the silica matrix. Several groups have analyzed the influence of different annealing treatments on the optical performance of SRSO:Er layers [9][10][11][12][13], usually deposited at room temperature (RT) before being subsequently annealed. Such a process allowed the formation of Si-nc sensitizers and then the observation of Er photoluminescence (PL) under non resonant optical excitation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optical and structural properties of SiO 2 co-doped with Si-nc and Er³⁺ions

Nanostructured Thin Films III

Labbé²,

Dierre³

et al. 2010

We present a study on erbium-doped silicon rich silicon oxide (SRSO:Er) thin films grown by the magnetron cosputtering of a three confocal cathodes according to the deposition temperature and the annealing treatment. It is shown that several parameters such as the stoichiometry SiO x , the Erbium content and the fraction of agglomerated Silicon are strongly influenced by the deposition temperature. Especially, an increase of the fraction of agglomerated-Si concomitant to a reduction of the erbium content is observed when the deposition temperature is raised. These structural differences have some repercussions on the optical properties that lead to better performances for high-temperature deposited material. It is illustrated by the Er-PL efficiency that is higher for 500°C-deposited than for RT-deposited sample at all annealing temperatures. Finally an investigation of the different emitting centres within the films is performed with a cathodoluminescence technique to highlight the emission of optically-active defect centers in the matrix. It is shown that some oxygen vacancies, namely Silicon-Oxygen Deficient Centers, have a strong contribution around 450-500 nm and are suspected to contribute to the energy transfer towards Er 3+ ions.

“…A similar behavior was observed for all samples. Annealing at higher temperature is detrimental for those compositions of SRSO:Er [23].…”

Section: Thickness (Nm)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the thickness on the properties of erbium‐doped silicon‐rich silicon oxide thin films

Phys. Status Solidi (c)

Labbé

Cardin

et al. 2011

The present study examines the influence of the layer thickness on the emission of Er ions coupled to Si nanoclusters within a silica matrix obtained by magnetron co‐sputtering at two typical temperatures (ambient and 500 °C. Such an investigation is essential to optimise the material for specific applications, inasmuch as thin layers of tens of nm are requested for electrically‐excited devices, while much thicker films (≥ 1 µm) are necessary for optically‐excited waveguides, lasers, etc. The Er PL was detected from as‐deposited samples with significant intensity for that grown at 500 °C. This PL improves with annealing and also with the layer thickness, up to a factor 4 when the thickness is increased from few tens to more than 1.3 µm.The origin of this behaviour seems to lie in some limiting factors related to the film thinness, such as barriers for nucleation and growth of sensitizers (Si‐ncs), stresses affecting the onset of phase separation and then the formation of Si‐ncs. To favour the growth of Si‐ncs in films as thin as tens of nm, the increase of the amount of Si excess was found to be necessary to enhance the Er PL through an increase of the density of Si‐ncs and, therefore, the coupling with Er ions. Such an enrichment with Si offers an additional advantage of favouring the injection and transport of carriers by electrical excitation (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)