VISIBLE AND INFRARED (1.54 MU-M) EMISSION FROM ER-IMPLANTED POROUS SIFOR PHOTONIC APPLICATIONS

This paper explores the challenges faced in developing efficient room temperature porous Si-based light emitting diodes. We experimentally d emonstrate that porous Si is an excellent host material for erbium ion s to emit strong, room temperature, sharp-line luminescence at 1.54 mu m. A comparison of photoluminescence data for erbium implanted sample s of bulk Si, porous Si, and quartz indicate that quantum confinement likely enhances the erbium IR luminescence efficiency. Due to the 650 to 850 degrees C annealing, it is unlikely that the environment of erb ium in our samples is amorphous Si.