INVESTIGATION OF ER-IMPLANTED KTIOPO4 CRYSTALS

KTiOPO4 crystals were implanted with 300 keV Er+ ions at ion fluences between 1 x 10(13) cm(-2) and 2 x 10(15) cm(-2) and temperatures rangi ng from 23 degrees C to 750 degrees C, Some of the samples were co-imp lanted with oxygen at room temperature. The radiation damage as well a s the Er distribution after implantation and furnace annealing were an alyzed by means of the RBS-channeling technique. Additionally, photolu minescence measurements were carried out on some annealed samples. Up to an implantation temperature T-1 = 200 degrees C amorphous layers ar e produced already at Er+ ion fluences between N-1 = 1 x 10(13) cm(-2) and 3 x 10(13) cm(-2). For a dose N-1 = 2 x 10(15) cm(-2) amorphizati on is prevented for T-1 greater than or equal to 650 degrees C. The re markable redistribution of Er towards the surface observed after annea ling at temperatures greater than or equal to 750 degrees C is reduced by oxygen co-implantation. Complete annealing of amorphous layers in a K2O atmosphere without any surface decomposition, which normally occ urs at implantation and annealing temperatures in excess of 650 degree s C, is found for an annealing temperature of 850 degrees C. After ann ealing photoluminescence at the wavelength lambda = 1.53 mu m was demo nstrated in KTiOPO4 for the first time.