Abstract
In this article, the microstructure and photoluminescence (PL) properties of Nd-doped silicon-rich silicon oxide (SRSO) are reported as a function of the annealing temperature and the Nd concentration. The thin films, which were grown on Si substrates by reactive magnetron co-sputtering, contain the same Si excess as determined by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra show that a phase separation occurs during the annealing because of the condensation of the Si excess resulting in the formation of silicon nanoparticles (Si-np) as detected by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Under non-resonant excitation at 488 nm, our Nd-doped SRSO films simultaneously exhibited PL from Si-np and Nd3+ demonstrating the efficient energy transfer between Si-np and Nd3+ and the sensitizing effect of Si-np. Upon increasing the Nd concentration from 0.08 to 4.9 at.%, our samples revealed a progressive quenching of the Nd3+ PL which can be correlated with the concomitant increase of disorder within the host matrix as shown by FTIR experiments. Moreover, the presence of Nd-oxide nanocrystals in the highest Nd-doped sample was established by XRD. It is, therefore, suggested that the Nd clustering, as well as disorder, are responsible for the concentration quenching of the PL of Nd3+.
Highlights
IntroductionThere has been an increasing interest toward nanomaterials for novel applications
Over the last decade, there has been an increasing interest toward nanomaterials for novel applications
In this study, we were interested in four Nd-doped silicon-rich silicon oxide (SRSO) thin films containing the same excess of Si (7 at.%) with various Nd contents ranging from 0.08 to 4.9 at.%
Summary
There has been an increasing interest toward nanomaterials for novel applications. Since the discovery of the sensitizing effect of silicon nanoparticles (Si-np) toward the RE ions [6], RE-doped a-SiO2 films containing Si-np are promising candidates for the achievement of future photonic devices. In such nanocomposites, Nd3+ ions benefit from the high absorption cross section of Si-np (1-100 × 10-17 cm2) by an efficient. The Nd-doped silicon-rich silicon oxide (SRSO) thin layers were synthesized by reactive magnetron co-sputtering. Their microstructures were examined using highresolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. We could notably establish the proper conditions to obtain efficient PL of Nd3+ and describe its limitations
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