ROOM-TEMPERATURE PHOTOLUMINESCENCE OF AMORPHOUS HYDROGENATED SILICON-CARBIDE DOPED WITH ERBIUM

Room temperature photoluminescence of Er ions at 1.54 mu m correspondi ng to I-4(13/2) - I-4(15/2) transition in the ion f-shell was observed in erbium-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide films (a-Si1-x Cx:H[Er]). Films of a-Si1-xCx:H[Er] were prepared by co-sputtering of graphite and Er targets applying the magnetron-assisted silane-decompo sition technique with mixtures of Ar and silane. The composition of fi lms (x) was 0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.29. The concentration of incorporated Er-ions was 6 x 10(19) cm(-3). The excit ation mechanism of the Er ions in amorphous hydrogenated silicon carbi de doped with erbium is discussed within the framework of the defect r elated Auger excitation model. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All righ ts reserved.