Formation of Si–Er–O structures in Si by Ar-irradiation for harvesting light at the 4f intraband transition

In the pursuit of developing cost-effective optically active media for silicon-based infrared emitters, we employed a multi-step fabrication process to create silicon films doped with erbium (Er) and oxygen (O). The process involved physical vapor deposition (PVD) followed by ion beam surface modification (IBM) and oxygen incorporation that are facilitated by Ar + and O 2+ implantation, and thermal annealing techniques. The resulting silicon films, denoted as Si–Er–O, demonstrated efficient room-temperature emission, indicative of 4f transitions. Notably, the observed photoluminescence (PL) manifests Stark-split 4 I 13/2 - 4 I 15/2 transitions characteristic of Er 3+ impurity centers mimicking that of Er in optical fiber materials. The concentration distributions of the dopants within the films were determined utilizing Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The main finding of this study is the correlation between Er concentration, oxygen presence, and optical activity in Si–Er–O films. Results demonstrate that the optical activity of Er 3+ ions rise with the O/Er atomic concentration ratio, peaking at a specific ratio; corroborating earlier results from other researchers in the literature. Elevated Er concentration correlates with decreased PL signals, confirming that Er–O association enhances optically active Er 3+ , while Er–Er association inhibits it. This optimal balance suggests potential improvements in light emitting diodes (LED) manufacturing via PVD. More importantly, the efficacy of IBM is evident in its role in enhancing Er thermal diffusion and achieving optimal optical activation. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of controlling processing conditions to achieve desired composition and properties, with implications for enhancing LED efficiency, especially in the infrared spectral range. • Harvesting light from Si by IBM of Cz-Si coated with two layers of Er-Si films that are separated y thinSi-Layer. • Energetic Ar + beams used to cause the mixing and O 2+ implanted to enhance Er solubility and to form Er-O ligand. • Irradiaed and not-irradiated Si–Er–O structures exhibited light emission manifesting Er Stark-split 4 I 13/2 - 4 I 15/2 . • Our findings reveal that an increased O to Er ratio correlates with enhanced photoluminescence intensity. • IBM coupled with O implantation proved to be instrumental in enhancing Er thermal diffusion and achieving optical activation. • Enhancement of luminescence for irradiated and annealed at 600 °C sample indicates enhanced emission from Er centers. 7- These findings open up more possibilities for Si-photonic chips using monolithic Si doped with Er. • These findings open up more possibilities for Si-photonic chips using monolithic Si doped with Er.