Optical activation of Er 3+ in silicon co-implanted with carbon

Abstract

Erbium (Er) and carbon (C) ions are co-implanted into Czochralski-grown silicon. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity of 1.54 μm Er 3+ emission from Si:Er with C is 2–4 times stronger than that of Si:Er. The PL spectra of Si:Er with C (for doses of 1 × 10 13 and 1 × 10 14 cm −2) are composed of many peaks. These peaks are due to the luminescence from CEr complex centers. The temperature dependence of the Er 3+-related PL shows three quenching processes. Their activation energies are 4, 12 and 140 meV, respectively.