A novel approach for optical activation of rare earths in rare earth-dopedporous silicon microwave heating method

A novel approach for the optical activation of rare earths in rare earth - doped porous silicon (PS:RE), microwave heating method, was first reported. The effects of sample - placement modes and microwave heating time on the room - temperature photoluminescence in the infrared region for PS:Er and P S: Nd, prepared with constant - potential electrochemical doping, were inve stigated. The heated samples were observed to be homogeneous in appearance and to emit intense room - temperature photoluminescence around 1.54 mu m a nd 1.06 mu m, which are assigned to the intrashell 4f - 4f transitions of E r3+ ions (I-4(13/2)-->I-4(15/2)) and Nd3+ ions (F-4(3/2)-->I-4(11/2)), resp ectively. In addition to the thermal activation, the non - thermal interact ion of microwave radiation with PS:RE, mainly the spread of rare earths and the trapping of oxygen with rare earths in the porous layer, is considered to play an important role in the optical activation of RE3+ ions.