Multistep Resonant Excitation of Erbium Ions in Thin Silicon Oxide Layers

Abstract

AbstractUsing the site-selective technique of combined excitation emission spectroscopy, we have studied a variety of Er doped silicon oxide layers with and without silicon nanocrystals. This technique allows clear distinction of cluster defect sites that are created during thermal annealing and become dominant for higher Er ion concentration and are suppressed by the presence of nanocrystals. In several samples, we were able to observe fluorescence line narrowing under resonant excitation allowing defect-selective excitation.