The transition probability was calculated for defect-related Auger excitation of a rare-earth ion that was inserted into an amorphous matrix. The result was applied to the excitation of an Er ion in amorphous Si via capture of an electron by the dangling bond defect. A high efficiency of the defect-related Auger excitation process was demonstrated, which ensured strong photoluminescence and electroluminescence of Er ions in the amorphous matrix. It was shown that the temperature quenching of Er luminescence in amorphous Si was controlled by competition between defect-related Auger excitation and multi-phonon non-radiative transitions.

I.N.Yassievich, M.S.Bresler, O.B.Gusev: Journal of Physics - Condensed Matter, 1997, 9[43], 9415-25