EXCITATION AND DEEXCITATION OF ER3+ IN CRYSTALLINE SILICON

Temperature dependent measurements of the 1.54 mu m photoluminescence of Er implanted N codoped crystalline Si are made. Upon increasing the temperature from 12 to 150 K, the intensity quenches by more than a f actor thousand, while the lifetime quenches from 420 to 3 mu s. The qu enching processes are described by an impurity Auger energy transfer m odel that includes bound exciton dissociation and a nonradiative energ y backtransfer process. Electron and hole trap levels are determined. Direct evidence for a backtransfer process follows from spectral respo nse measurements on an Er-implanted Si solar cell. (C) 1997 American I nstitute of Physics.