Photo- and Electro-Luminescence at 1.54 μm from Er3+ in SiC:Er2O3 Films and Structures

SiC:Er2O3 films with different ratios of SiC to SiC:Er2O3 are deposited on p-type Si substrates by the magnetron co-sputtering technique, which was fully compatible with current Si processing technologies. Intense room temperature 1.54 mu m photoluminescence (PL) from Er3+ ions in the SiC:Er2O3 films is observed and the PL intensity at 1.54 mu m is enhanced by about 40 times with increasing Er concentration in the films from 0.8 to 22 at.% under both direct and indirect excitations. The 1.54 mu m electroluminescence from the structure of indium tin oxide (ITO)/n(+) -Si/SiC:Er2O3/p-Si with suitable ratios of SiC to SiC:Er2O3 is measured under forward biases.