The characteristics of 1.54µm photoluminescence emission of Er-doped HfO2 films synthesized by pulsed laser deposition and ion implantation were reported. An efficient emission at 1.54µm in the annealed HfO2 films was observed under a broad band excitation from 400nm to a higher energy at room temperature. X-ray diffraction and electron paramagnetic resonant measurements were used to analyze the correlation between the optical properties and microstructures. An energy transfer mechanism was proposed that the O vacancy in the bulk acts as an effective sensitizer for the neighboring Er ions and greatly enhances the 1.54µm band emission. These results lay an important basis for the future silicon-based integrated optoelectronic device applications of Er-doped HfO2 films.

1.54µm Photoluminescence Emission and Oxygen Vacancy As Sensitizer in Er-Doped HfO2 Films. J.Wang, Y.Xia, Y.Shi, Z.Shi, L.Pu, R.Zhang, Y.Zheng, Z.Tao, F.Lu: Applied Physics Letters, 2007, 91[19], 191115