Visible and infrared luminescence study of Er doped β-Ga_2O_3 and Er_3 Ga_5O_12

Abstract

The luminescence properties of Er doped β-Ga_2O_3 and of the erbium gallium garnet Er_3 Ga_5O_12(ErGG) have been investigated both in the visible and in the infrared (IR) ranges by means of photoluminescence (PL). Doping of the β-Ga_2O_3 was obtained in two different ways: erbium ion implantation into β-Ga_2O_3 and high temperature annealing of a mixture of Er_2O_3 and Ga_2_O3 powders. X-ray diffraction shows that the latter samples present both β-Ga_2O_3 and ErGG phases. The PL studies demonstrate that the beta-Ga2O3 in these samples is doped with erbium. The differences in the luminescence emission and excitation peaks of the Er^3+ ions in these two hosts are studied through selective PL measurements. Strong near IR emission and weak green emission from Er^3+ in the β-Ga_2O_3 matrix is obtained. The opposite is obtained for Er^3+ in ErGG when excited under the same conditions. Room temperature luminescence is observed from erbium in the two hosts.