Photoluminescence excitation properties of porous silicon with and without Er-Yb-containing complex

Two bands in the photoluminescence excitation spectra have been studied for the red, blue, and IR emission of oxidized porous silicon (PS) and PS with Er³⁺- and Yb³⁺-containing gadolinium oxychloride complex (PS:Er,Yb), introduced by thermal diffusion. These two spectral bands were shown to reflect contributions of two different mechanisms of excitation-emission processes. The UV band for the IR emission of PS:Er,Yb rose sharply at about 290 nm and was explained by the direct photoemission of carriers from the valence band of Si crystallites into the conduction band of the oxide shell. The second band was found to be common for the red and blue emission and assosiated with the carriers photoexcitation inside the Si crystallites. Lifetimes for both bands were measured and the structure of the blue emission from PS:Er,Yb with peaks at 416, 440, 466, and 500 nm from PS:Er,Yb was observed.