Luminescence from erbium oxide grown on silicon

Abstract

The luminescence properties of erbium oxide grown on crystalline and amorphous silicon substrates were studied by means of photo-and cathodoluminescence techniques. Differences in the luminescence spectra for samples grown on the two types of substrates used are explained in terms of the different types of erbium centers formed by taking into account the substrate properties and the thermal treatments during growth. For comparison, erbium implanted and oxygen coimplanted crystalline and amorphous silicon have been also investigated by luminescence techniques. In the implanted samples, the sharp transitions from erbium ions in the visible range were quenched and the main emission corresponds to the intraionic transitions in Er 3 1 ions in the infrared range peaked at 1,54 gm.

Resonant excitation of Er ion luminescence in a nanocrystalline silicon matrix

“…The peaks that appear well resolved, are situated at 1300, 1400, 1540, 1610 and 1630 nm respectively and most of the emission appears in the 1200-1500 nm region. CL spectra of Er oxides grown on different silicon substrates show a broad band situated at 1250-1300 nm, attributable to a defect involving oxygen [19]. The presence of an emission band at about 1310 nm in the spectrum of a-Si:Er, O treated at 600°C (Figure 6), supports the hypothesis of a Er-O complex as the origin of this emission band.…”

Study of thermal treated a-Si implanted with Er and O ions

“…Implantation with boron ions was found to cause nanocrystal formation and the enhancement of a CL band centred at about 400-410 nm. Blue CL emission has also been observed in the samples implanted with Er or with Er and O ions without subsequent thermal treatment [17].…”

“…Luminescence from rare earth ions in semiconductor hosts is, however, not limited to the infrared range but with appropriate combinations of host matrix, co-doping and thermal treatments practically the whole infrared to ultraviolet range can be covered. Visible luminescence with different emission bands depending on the use of crystalline or amorphous substrates has been observed in Er-doped silicon samples obtained by deposition of erbium oxide layers [16,17]. These works refer mainly to cathodoluminescence (CL) in a scanning electron microscope (SEM).…”