Photoluminescence properties of Er-doped β-FeSi2 grown by ion implantation

Abstract Photoluminescence (PL) properties of Er-doped β-FeSi 2 (β-FeSi 2 :Er) and Er-doped Si (Si:Er) grown by ion implantation were investigated. In PL measurements at 4.2 K, the β-FeSi 2 :Er showed the 1.54 μm PL due to the intra- 4 f shell transition of 4 I 13/2 → 4 I 15/2 in Er 3+ ions without a defect-related PL observed in Si:Er. In the dependence of the PL intensity on excitation photon flux density, the obtained optical excitation cross-section σ in β-FeSi 2 :Er ( σ =7×10 −17  cm 2 ) is smaller than that in Si:Er ( σ =1×10 -15  cm 2 ). In the time-resolved PL and the temperature dependence of the PL intensity, the 1.54 μm PL in β-FeSi 2 :Er showed a longer lifetime and larger activation energies for non-radiative recombination (NR) processes than Si:Er. These results revealed that NR centers induced by ion implantation damage were suppressed in β-FeSi 2 :Er, but the energy back transfer from Er 3+ to β-FeSi 2 was larger than Si:Er.