Effect of ion irradiation on the structure and luminescence characteristics of porous silicon impregnated with tungsten-telluride glass doped by Er and Yb impurities

Using transmission electron microscopy and elemental analysis, it has been shown that tungsten telluride glass (TTG) containing erbium and ytterbium as impurities penetrates into pores of porous silicon (PS) when melted in vacuum at 500°C. It has been found that the intensity of photoluminescence (PL) of erbium at the wavelength of 1.54 μm in PS: TTG layers increases by a factor of up to 5 in the layers irradiated by P⁺ and Ar⁺ ions. This is assigned to ion mixing which favors interaction among the Er ions and PS-embedded Si nanocrystals initiating sensitization of the PL, as well as to broadening of the glass-impregnated PS region. Implantation of the lighter Ne⁺ ions affects only weakly the PL of erbium ions.     

Photoluminescence of Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript> ions in layers of quasi-ordered silicon nanocrystals in a silicon dioxide matrix

The spectra and kinetics of photoluminescence from multilayered structures of quasi-ordered silicon nanocrystals in a silica matrix were studied for undoped samples and samples doped with erbium. It was shown that the optical excitation energy of silicon nanocrystals could be effectively transferred to Er³⁺ ions, which was followed by luminescence at a wavelength of 1.5 µm. The effectiveness of energy transfer increased as the size of silicon nanocrystals decreased and the energy of exciting light quanta increased. The excitation of erbium luminescence in the structures was explained based on dipole-dipole interaction (the Förster mechanism) between excitons in silicon nanocrystals and Er³⁺ ions in silica surrounding them.     

1.54 μm room temperature emission from Er-doped Si nanocrystals deposited by ECR-PECVD

In this work, silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc) embedded in a silicon-rich silicon oxide (SRSO) matrix doped with Er³⁺ ions for different erbium and silicon concentrations have been deposited by electron-cyclotron resonance plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor-deposition (ECR-PECVD) technique. Their optical properties have been investigated by photoluminescence (PL) and reflectance spectroscopy.Room temperature emission bands centered at ∼1.54 and at 0.75 μm have been obtained for all samples. The most intense emission band at ∼1.54 μm was obtained for samples with concentrations of 0.45% and 39% for erbium and silicon, respectively. Moreover, it has been found that the broad emission band centered at ∼0.75 μm for all samples shows a very strong interference pattern related to the a specific sample structure and a high sample quality.     

Heteroepitaxy of erbium-doped silicon layers on sapphire substrates

The possibility of using sublimation molecular-beam epitaxy as an efficient method for growing erbium-doped silicon layers on sapphire substrates for optoelectronic applications is analyzed. The advantage of this method is that the erbium-doped silicon layers can be grown at relatively low temperatures. The use of sublimation molecular-beam epitaxy makes it possible to grow silicon layers of good crystal quality. It is demonstrated that the growth temperature affects not only the structure of silicon-on-sapphire layers but also the crystallographic orientation of these layers. The electrical and luminescence properties of the erbium-doped silicon layers are discussed. It is revealed that structures of this type exhibit intense erbium photoluminescence at a wavelength of 1.54 μm.     

Modification of erbium photoluminescence excitation spectra for the emission wavelength 1.54 μm in mesoscopic structures

Photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra for the emission wavelength 1.54 μm were studied for erbium-doped xerogels embedded in artificial opals and porous anodic alumina films. Opals were chosen with photonic stop-band in green spectral range, where excitation of 1.54 μm occurs most efficiently. In comparison to the structure erbium-doped titania xerogel/porous anodic alumina/silicon the photoluminescence excitation spectra for 1.54 μm emission wavelength significantly changes for the same xerogels embedded in artificial opals. Enhancement of erbium-related 1.54 μm emission was observed from the structure Fe₂O₃ xerogel/porous anodic alumina fabricated on silicon, having some incompletely anodized aluminium, under excitation with either the lasing source at 532 nm or xenon lamp. Evident difference in PLE spectra for erbium doped TiO₂ and Fe₂O₃ xerogels in porous anodic alumina is observed.     

Interrelation between microstructure and optical properties of erbium-doped nanocrystalline thin films

Nanocrystalline silicon thin films codoped with erbium, oxygen and hydrogen have been deposited by co-sputtering of Er and Si. Films with different crystallinity, crystallite size and oxygen content have been obtained in order to investigate the effect of the microstructure on the photoluminescence properties. The correlation between the optical properties and microstructural parameters of the films is investigated by spectroscopic ellipsometry. PL response of the discussed structures covers both the visible wavelength range (a crystallite size-dependent photoluminescence detected for 5–6 nm sized nanocrystals embedded in a SiO matrix) and near IR range at 1.54 μm (Er-related PL dominating in the films with 1–3 nm sized Si nanocrystals embedded in a-Si:H). It is demonstrated that the different PL properties can be also discriminated on the basis of ellipsometric spectra.     

Effective excitation cross section of erbium in amorphous hydrogenated silicon under optical pumping

The effective excitation cross section of erbium embedded in an amorphous silicon matrix and the total lifetime of erbium ions in the excited state are determined by measuring the photoluminescence rise time of erbium ions under pulsed excitation of erbium-doped amorphous hydrogenated silicon. An analysis of the rate equations describing the excitation and deexcitation of erbium ions in a semiconducting matrix sheds light on the physical meaning of the effective excitation cross section. It is shown that measurement of the effective excitation cross section permits evaluation of the concentration of optically active erbium ions in the amorphous silicon matrix.     

Erbium excitation in a SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>: Si-nc matrix under pulsed pumping

The photoluminescence of Er³⁺ ions in a SiO₂ matrix containing silicon nanocrystals 3.5 nm in diameter is studied under resonant and nonresonant pulsed pumping with pulses 5 ns in duration. The effective erbium excitation cross section under pulsed pumping, σ_eff = 8.7 × 10^?17 cm₂, is close to that for nanocrystals. Comparison of the erbium photoluminescence intensity obtained for a SiO₂ matrix with and without nanocrystals made it possible to determine the absolute concentration of optically active nanocrystals capable of exciting erbium ions, the concentration of optically active erbium, and the average number of erbium ions excited by one nanocrystal. The study revealed that excitation transfer from one erbium ion to another is a relatively slow process, which accounts for the low efficiency of erbium ion excitation under pulsed pumping in a SiO₂ matrix containing silicon nanocrystals.     

Photoluminescence from Er3+ ion and SnO2 nanocrystal co-doped silica thin films

Er3+ ions embedded in silica thin films co-doped by SnO2 nanocrystals are fabricated by sol-gel and spin coating methods. Uniformly distributed 4-nm SnO2 nanocrystals are fabricated, and the nanocrystals showed tetragonal rutile crystalline structures confirmed by transmission electron microscope and X-ray diffraction measurements. A strong characteristic emission located at 1.54 μm from the Er3+ ions is identified, and the influences of Sn doping concentrations on photoluminescence properties are systematically evaluated. The emission at 1.54 μm from Er3+ ions is enhanced by more than three orders of magnitude, which can be attributed to the effective energy transfer from the defect states of SnO 2 nanocrystals to nearby Er3+ ions, as revealed by the selective excitation experiments.     

Rate equation modelling of erbium luminescence dynamics in erbium-doped silicon-rich-silicon-oxide

Erbium doped silicon-rich silica offers broad band and very efficient excitation of erbium photoluminescence (PL) due to a sensitization effect attributed to silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc), which grow during thermal treatment. PL decay lifetime measurements of sensitised Er³⁺ ions are usually reported to be stretched or multi exponential, very different to those that are directly excited, which usually show a single exponential decay component.In this paper, we report on SiO₂ thin films doped with Si-nc's and erbium. Time resolved PL measurements reveal two distinct 1.54 μm Er decay components; a fast microsecond component, and a relatively long lifetime component (10 ms). We also study the structural properties of these samples through TEM measurements, and reveal the formation of Er clusters. We propose that these Er clusters are responsible for the fast μs decay component, and we develop rate equation models that reproduce the experimental transient observations, and can explain some of the reported transient behaviour in previously published literature.     

Luminescent properties of semiconductor composite systems composed of erbium triphthalocyanine molecules and a silicon slot structure in the near-infrared region

Photoluminescence spectra of organic semiconductors based on mono-, bis-, and triphthalocyanine containing erbium as a complexing agent have been obtained in the range of 1–1.8 μm. Comparison of the spectral characteristics has shown that erbium triphthalocyanine has the highest photoluminescence quantum yield at a wavelength of 1.5 μm. To enhance this effect, composite materials based on erbium triphthalocyanine and a silicon slot structure have been synthesized, in which an additional increase in the photoluminescence signal near 1.14 μm has been observed. At the same time, no photoluminescence signal has been observed near the wavelength of 1.5 μm. This can be explained by taking into account the interaction of the erbium triphthalocyanine molecules with the adsorption centers of the silicon matrix.     

Erbium photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy in Si: Er epitaxial structures

Excitation spectra of erbium photoluminescence in Si: Er epitaxial structures are studied within a broad pump wavelength range (λ_ex = 780–1500 nm). All the structures studied reveal a fairly strong erbium photoluminescence signal at photon energies substantially smaller than the silicon band-gap width (λ = 1060 nm) with no exciton generation. A possible mechanism of erbium ion excitation in silicon without exciton involvement is discussed.     

Er<Superscript>3+</Superscript> photoluminescence excitation spectra in erbium-doped epitaxial silicon structures

Excitation spectra of erbium photoluminescence (λ=1540 nm) in Si: Er epitaxial structures were studied within a broad pump wavelength range (λ=780–1500 nm). Erbium photoluminescence was observed to occur at pump energies substantially less than the silicon band-gap width. Possible mechanisms of erbium ion excitation in this pump radiation energy region are discussed.     

Phonon confinement effects in Raman spectra of porous silicon at non‐resonant excitation condition

Light emitting porous silicon samples with different porosities, i.e. crystalline sizes, were produced from the low level doped p‐type silicon wafers by the anodization process. The effects of strong phonon confinement, redshift and broadening, were found on the O(Γ) phonon mode of the Raman spectra recorded at non‐resonant excitation condition using a near infrared 1064 nm laser excitation wavelength. Similarly, the blueshift of the photoluminescence peak was observed by reducing the crystalline sizes. Vibrational and optical findings were analysed within the existing models of confinement on the vibrational and electronic states of silicon nanocrystals. Since the energy of the photoluminescence peak of small nanocrystals also depends on the oxygen content on the surface of nanocrystals, the surface oxidation states were examined using infrared and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The partial coverage of the surface of nanocrystals was found due to the sample exposure to air. As a consequence, the photoluminescence energy did not increase as would be expected from the quantum confinement model. These results further indicate that the oxygen passivation along with the quantum confinement determines the electronic states of the silicon nanocrystals in porous silicon. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Room-temperature electroluminescence from erbium-doped amorphous hydrogenated silicon

We have studied electroluminescence (EL) in the amorphous silicon-based erbium-doped structures under reverse bias in the temperature range 77–300 K. The intensity of electroluminescence at the wavelength of 1.54 μm exhibits a maximum near the room temperature. The excitation of erbium ions occurs by an Auger process which involves the capture of conduction electrons by neutral dangling bonds (D⁰-centers) located close to erbium ions. The stationary current through the structure is kept by a reverse process of thermally activated tunnel emission of electrons from negatively charged dangling-bond defects (D⁻-centers) to the conduction band of the amorphous matrix. A theoretical model proposed explains consistently all of our experimental data.     

Effect of nonuniform permittivity of a solid-state matrix on the spectral width of erbium ion luminescence

The Stark splitting of the energy levels of Er³⁺ ions implanted in a structure made up of alternating layers of silicon dioxide and quasi-ordered silicon nanocrystals is calculated. The level splitting is caused by the electric field of the image charges induced at the interfaces between layers with different permittivities. The splitting was established to increase as the contrast in permittivity between the silicon dioxide and silicon nanocrystal layers increases, as well as when the erbium ions approach the layer interface. The results obtained offer an adequate explanation of the experimentally observed additional broadening of the erbium photoluminescence band (0.8 eV) with increasing characteristic size of the silicon nanocrystals.     

Erbium ion luminescence of silicon nanocrystal layers in a silicon dioxide matrix measured under strong optical excitation

The photoluminescence (PL) spectra and kinetics of erbium-doped layers of silicon nanocrystals dispersed in a silicon dioxide matrix (nc-Si/SiO₂) are studied. It was found that optical excitation of nc-Si can be transferred with a high efficiency to Er³⁺ ions present in the surrounding oxide. The efficiency of energy transfer increases with increasing pumping photon energy and intensity. The process of Er³⁺ excitation is shown to compete successfully with nonradiative recombination in the nc-Si/SiO₂ structures. The Er³⁺ PL lifetime was found to decrease under intense optical pumping, which implies the establishment of inverse population in the Er³⁺ system. The results obtained demonstrate the very high potential of erbium-doped nc-Si/SiO₂ structures when used as active media for optical amplifiers and light-emitting devices operating at a wavelength of 1.5 μm.     

Er离子注入的富硅SiO2MOS-LED的可见和红外电致发光特性

通过Er离子和Si离子注入并结合高温退火制备了Er掺杂的富硅SiO2薄膜以及ITO/SiON/富硅SiO2:Er/Si MOS结构电致发光器件.研究了富Si浓度的变化对Er3+离子掺杂的电致发光器件的发光性能和传导特性的影响.发现不同Si含量对Er3+离子的不同能级的电致发光会产生不同作用.在富Si量小于5％的条件下,...     

Influence of the ion synthesis and ion doping regimes on the effect of sensitization of erbium emission by silicon nanoclusters in silicon dioxide films

The photoluminescence spectra of erbium centers in SiO₂ films with ion-synthesized silicon nanoclusters under nonresonant excitation were investigated. Erbium was introduced into thermal SiO₂ films by ion implantation. The dependences of photoluminescence intensity on the dose, the order of ion implantation of Si and Er, the annealing temperature, and additional Ar⁺ and P⁺ ion irradiation regimes, i.e., factors determining the influence of radiation damage and doping on sensitization of erbium luminescence by silicon nanoclusters, were determined. It was found that the sensitization effect and its amplification due to doping with phosphorus are most pronounced under the conditions where nanoclusters are amorphous. The quenching of photoluminescence due to radiation damage in this case manifests itself to a lesser extent than for crystalline nanoclusters. The role of various factors in the observed regularities was discussed in the framework of the existing concepts of the mechanisms of light emission and energy exchange in the system of silicon nanoclusters and erbium centers.     

Photoluminescence of Er3+ ions in amorphous silicon layers under intensive laser excitation

Transients of the photoluminescence (1.54 μm) of Er³⁺ ions embedded in an amorphous silicon matrix excited with intensive laser pulses are simulated using a phenomenological model which takes into account both the defect-related excitation mechanism and stimulated optical transitions in the ions. The simulated transients are compared with the experimental ones observed in Er-doped amorphous silicon layers under pulsed laser excitation. The modeling and the experimental results demonstrate a possibility to realize a regime of superradiance in the system of Er³⁺ ions pumped via an electronic excitation of the amorphous matrix. Received: 7 August 2001 / Revised version: 1 November 2001 / Published online: 17 January 2002