Visible and infrared emissions from c-axis oriented AlN:Er films grown by magnetron sputtering

Visible and infrared photoluminescence was observed from AlN:Er films grown by reactive radio-frequency magnetron sputtering under different powers. X-ray diffraction indicates that the films have a c-axis oriented hexagonal wurtzite structure with an average crystallite size of about 59–83nm and a strain of about (1.12–1.69)×10−3. Green emissions (∼540 and 558nm) from the AlN:Er films are due to the intra-4fn transition of Er3+ from H11∕22 and S3∕24 to I15∕24, and infrared (∼1535nm) emissions correspond to I13∕24 to I15∕24 transitions. Increasing the sputtering power results in larger grain size, lower strain, and enhancement of the luminescence intensity.