Cathodo- and photo-luminescence of erbium ions in nano-crystalline silicon: mechanism of excitation energy transfer

Abstract

The processes of the characteristic radiative transition of Er3+ ions involved in optically active centers in nano-crystalline silicon have been studied by photo-luminescence (PL) and cathodo-luminescence (CL). Infrared emission is observed in cathodo-luminescence and in photoluminescence spectrum excited with photons of 488 nm. The maximum intensity at 1540 nm was obtained under photons excitation and is about ten times higher in nanocrystalline silicon doped with Er and O than in Er doped crystalline silicon.