Low energy shifted photoluminescence of Er3%2b incorporated in amorphous hydrogenated silicon-germanium alloys

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.

Germanium; Luminescence; Silicon Annealing process; Erbium emissions; Erbium ions; Hydrogen concentrations; Hydrogenated silicons; Low energies; SiGe:H thin films; Amorphous alloys; Amorphous silicon; Cerium alloys; Erbium; Germanium; Hydrogen; Ions; Light emission; Photoluminescence; Semiconducting germanium compounds; Semiconducting silicon compounds; Silicon alloys; Germanium alloys

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