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Physical review. B, Condensed matter

Excitation cross section of erbium in semiconductor matrices under optical pumping

Oleg B. Gusev, Mikhail S. Bresler, Petr E. Pak, Irina N. Yassievich, M. Forcales, N. Q. Vinh, T. Gregorkiewicz

Published Jul 5, 2001• 52 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Based on a detailed consideration of excitation mechanisms of erbium in crystalline and amorphous matrix we present an analysis of the physical meaning of the Auger excitation cross section of ${\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}$ ions in semiconductor. It is demonstrated that large values of Auger excitation cross sections under optical pumping in semiconductor matrices are due to large values of band-to-band absorption coefficient exceeding by several orders of magnitude the absorption coefficient of erbium in dielectric ${\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}$ and ${\mathrm{Al}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ matrix. The Auger excitation cross section of ${\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}$ in semiconductor matrices is roughly given by the ratio of the matrix absorption coefficient to concentration of ${\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}$ ions. While the analysis of the excitation cross section is carried out for Er-doped crystalline and amorphous silicon, the results are expected to be applicable to the other rare-earth doped semiconductors. Based on low-temperature experimental results for crystalline silicon we get the Auger excitation coefficient of ${c}_{A}^{\mathrm{cryst}}\ensuremath{\approx}7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10} {\mathrm{cm}}^{3}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ and the effective excitation cross section ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{eff}}^{\mathrm{cryst}}=(2\ensuremath{-}8)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12} {\mathrm{cm}}^{2}.$ For amorphous silicon at 100 K we obtain ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{eff}}^{\mathrm{amorph}}\ensuremath{\approx}1.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}14} {\mathrm{cm}}^{2}.$

DOI
10.1103/physrevb.64.075302

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Journal of Applied Physics•Aug 15, 1997•16 citations
Based on a detailed consideration of excitation mechanisms of erbium in crystalline and amorphous matrix we present an analysis of the physical meaning of the Auger excitation cross section of Er3+{\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}Er3+ ions in semiconductor. It is demonstrated that large values of Auger excitation cross sections under optical pumping in semiconductor matrices are due to large values of band-to-band absorption coefficient exceeding by several orders of magnitude the absorption coefficient of erbium in dielectric SiO2{\mathrm{SiO}}_{2}SiO2​ and Al2O3{\mathrm{Al}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{3}Al2​O3​ matrix. The Auger excitation cross section of Er3+{\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}Er3+ in semiconductor matrices is roughly given by the ratio of the matrix absorption coefficient to concentration of Er3+{\mathrm{Er}}^{3+}Er3+ ions. While the analysis of the excitation cross section is carried out for Er-doped crystalline and amorphous silicon, the results are expected to be applicable to the other rare-earth doped semiconductors. Based on low-temperature experimental results for crystalline silicon we get the Auger excitation coefficient of cAcryst\ensuremath≈7\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi10\ensuremath−10cm3s\ensuremath−1{c}_{A}^{\mathrm{cryst}}\ensuremath{\approx}7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10} {\mathrm{cm}}^{3}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}cAcryst​\ensuremath≈7\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi10\ensuremath−10cm3s\ensuremath−1 and the effective excitation cross section \ensuremathσeffcryst=(2\ensuremath−8)\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi10\ensuremath−12cm2.{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{eff}}^{\mathrm{cryst}}=(2\ensuremath{-}8)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12} {\mathrm{cm}}^{2}.\ensuremathσeffcryst​=(2\ensuremath−8)\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi10\ensuremath−12cm2. For amorphous silicon at 100 K we obtain \ensuremathσeffamorph\ensuremath≈1.4\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi10\ensuremath−14cm2.{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{eff}}^{\mathrm{amorph}}\ensuremath{\approx}1.4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}14} {\mathrm{cm}}^{2}.\ensuremathσeffamorph​\ensuremath≈1.4\ifmmode×\else\texttimes\fi10\ensuremath−14cm2.
Dependences of the erbium photoluminescence intensity in Si:Er/Si structures have been studied in cases of homogeneous (over the sample surface) and inhomogeneous optical excitation. It is shown that the excitation mode strongly affects the type of the dependences obtained. A method for determining the excitation cross section of the Er ion under both continuous and pulsed optical pumping is discussed. The value obtained for the effective excitation cross section of erbium ions in silicon, σ = 5 × 10 −14 cm 2 at a temperature of 8 K, is an order of magnitude larger than the values known from published material.
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Participation of shallow states in the energy transfer processes between the rare-earth ions and a host semiconductor matrix is discussed. It is argued that shallow levels link the atomic-like states of the inner core of the rare-earth ion with the band structure of the host crystal. For the two most investigated systems InP:Yb and Si:Er the important role of these states at various stages of excitation and de-excitation mechanisms is shown. Models of the energy transfer process with a formation of a shallow intermediate state are discussed. It is shown that the formation of such a state is essential for the RE ion core activation. Experimental results supporting the involvement of shallow states are reviewed. Temperature dependencies of the photoluminescence activation and decay time constants are presented; these show an important role of shallow doping in the activation of Auger processes relevant to the mechanism of rare-earth ion photoluminescence. For the Si:Er system direct evidence for the two-stage excitation mechanism is discussed.
Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDFAs) can very efficiently convert pump to signal energy. Quantum efficiencies higher than 80 % with 1.48 pm pump [1], and 93% when pumped at 980 nm [2] are reported. However, even higher values should be theoretically possible for an ideal EDFA. Various physical effects may lead to quantum efficiency (QE) reduction. Not all of them are quite well understood yet. At Erbium concentrations above 100 ppm by weight the pump loss is partly explained by energy transfer between two excited ions resulting in upcon- version process [3]. At low concentrations Excited-State Absorption (ESA) could be a more significant effect reducing QE. ESA of photons from 1.5 |im band have been predicted from absorption measurements [4] and also observed [5]. However, to our knowledge, no quantitative analysis has been made which would distinguish between the contributions of ESA and two-particle upconversion when measurements of short wavelength luminescence were performed.
The temperature dependence of the optical excitation cross section of Er implanted n-type GaN was studied using photoluminescence excitation spectroscopy. Due to the large 3.4 eV band gap of GaN, it was possible to probe two Er absorption lines using a tunable Ti:sapphire laser in the 770–1010 nm range. Photoluminescence excitation spectra exhibiting several Stark splittings revealed a complex dependence upon temperature. The largest excitation cross section in the third excited state was 1.65×10−20 cm2 at an excitation wavelength of 809.4 nm when measured at 77 K. This value is roughly three times larger than the cross section in the second excited state at 4.8×10−21 cm2 when pumping at 983.0 nm. The Er-related photoluminescence was reduced between 1.5 and 4.8 times when going from 77 K to room temperature, except when pumping around 998 nm. At this excitation wavelength the room temperature photoluminescence was stronger by a factor of 1.26 compared to that at 77 K.