Effect of nonuniform permittivity of a solid-state matrix on the spectral width of erbium ion luminescence
S. A. Teterukov, M. G. Lisachenko, O. A. Shalygina +3 more
The Stark splitting of the energy levels of Er 3+ ions implanted in a structure made up of alternating layers of silicon dioxide and quasi-ordered silicon nanocrystals is calculated. The level splitting is caused by the electric field of the image charges induced at the interfaces between layers with different permittivities. The splitting was established to increase as the contrast in permittivity between the silicon dioxide and silicon nanocrystal layers increases, as well as when the erbium ions approach the layer interface. The results obtained offer an adequate explanation of the experimentally observed additional broadening of the erbium photoluminescence band (0.8 eV) with increasing characteristic size of the silicon nanocrystals.
Physics of the Solid State•Jan 1, 2005•1 citation