Light emission from Er at the As-terminated Si(111) surface

Abstract

Erbium atoms at an arsenic-terminated Si(111) surface can be made to emit light at the 1.55 μm wavelength associated with an internal transition in the Er3+ ion. The As-terminated surface prepared under ultrahigh vacuum conditions has a surface recombination velocity of 50 cm s−1 and partially suppresses competing nonradiative recombination mechanisms. Following the deposition of Er, its characteristic light emission is observed only after oxygen reacts with the surface. The intensity of the light emitted by Er increases significantly upon cooling from 310 to 215 K. No light emission was observed from Er atoms deposited on 7×7 or H-terminated surfaces.