Strong erbium photoluminescence from erbium-doped silica layers prepared using excimer VUV lamps

Abstract

Erbium-doped silica layers formed by a low-temperature UV approach using excimer VUV lamps have exhibited a strong 1.53 /spl mu/m erbium photoluminescence with the intensity being comparable to that from the thermally prepared layer while luminescence lifetime is even slightly longer than the latter. Luminescence peak intensity was found to increase with erbium atomic concentration in the range 0.6-1.2%. The fact that luminescence intensity depends on the availability of erbium in the silica layer and that the layers prepared by the low-temperature UV process show strong photoluminescence indicates that luminescence around 1.53 /spl mu/m is generated by direct optical excitation of erbium ions in the silica layers.