Low energy shifted photoluminescence of Er3 incorporated in amorphous hydrogenated silicon-germanium alloys Article uri icon

abstract

  • Low energy shifted photoluminescence from isolated erbium ions incorporated into a-SiGe:H thin films is reported. The Er3 are thermally diffused from an a-SiGe:H:Er layer to a-SiGe:H subsequently grown, both by magnetron sputtering. The photoluminescence observed is associated with transitions produced by erbium emission centers activated by the oxidation in a 1 h annealing process in air at 250 °C. The resultant Er3 concentration observed from the a-SiGe:H is affected by the hydrogen concentration already present in the layer. It is observed that at higher hydrogen concentrations in a-SiGe:H the resultant amount of diffused Er3 decreases. As a consequence of the resultant smaller density of erbium ions, the probability of having isolated Er3 ions increases. In this last regime, a correlation with stronger photoluminescence is observed. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
  • Low energy shifted photoluminescence from isolated erbium ions incorporated into a-SiGe:H thin films is reported. The Er3%2b are thermally diffused from an a-SiGe:H:Er layer to a-SiGe:H subsequently grown, both by magnetron sputtering. The photoluminescence observed is associated with transitions produced by erbium emission centers activated by the oxidation in a 1 h annealing process in air at 250 °C. The resultant Er3%2b concentration observed from the a-SiGe:H is affected by the hydrogen concentration already present in the layer. It is observed that at higher hydrogen concentrations in a-SiGe:H the resultant amount of diffused Er3%2b decreases. As a consequence of the resultant smaller density of erbium ions, the probability of having isolated Er3%2b ions increases. In this last regime, a correlation with stronger photoluminescence is observed. © 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • 2009-01-01