Highly efficient photoluminescence of Er2SiO5 films grown by reactive magnetron sputtering method

E₂SiO₅ thin films were fabricated on Si substrate by reactive magnetron sputtering method with subsequent annealing treatment. The morphology properties of as-deposited films have been studied by scanning electron microscope. The fraction of erbium is estimated to be 23.5 at% based on Rutherford backscattering measurement in as-deposited Er-Si-O film. X-ray diffraction measurement revealed that Er₂SiO₅ crystalline structure was formed as sample treated at 1100 °C for 1 h in O₂ atmosphere. Through proper thermal treatment, the 1.53 μm Er³⁺-related emission intensity can be enhanced by a factor of 50 with respect to the sample annealed at 800 °C. Analysis of pump-power dependence of Er³⁺ PL intensity indicated that the upconversion phenomenon could be neglected even under a high photon flux of 10²¹(photons/cm²/sec). Temperature-dependent photoluminescence (PL) of Er₂SiO₅ was studied and showed a weak thermal quenching factor of 2. Highly efficienct photoluminescence of Er₂SiO₅ films has been demonstrated with Er³⁺ concentration of 10²²/cm³, and it opens a promising way towards future Si-based light source for Si photonics.