ERBIUM-DOPED SIO2 LAYERS FORMED ON THE SURFACE OF SILICON BY SPARK PROCESSING

We present structural and spectroscopic analyses of luminescent erbium -doped porous SiO2 layers on silicon formed using a spark processing t echnique, Scanning electron microscopy reveals a surface of irregular holes covered by a SiO2 layer. Concomitant energy-dispersive X-ray map ping experiments show that the erbium concentration in the porous laye r can be controlled by varying the molarity of the erbium solution dep osited on the substrate prior to spark processing. Both visible and ne ar-infrared photoluminescence spectroscopy, under conditions of varyin g temperature and excitation power, have been used to study the nature of the erbium centers formed in the porous layer. Self-quenching of E r3+ photoluminescence at 1.54 mu m occurs at the highest concentration s of erbium employed.