Comprehensive study of the conditions for obtaining hydrogenated amorphous erbium- and oxygen-doped silicon suboxide films, a-SiOx:H 〈Er,O〉, by dc-magnetron deposition

The results of a comprehensive study of the conditions for growing a-SiOx:H 〈Er,O〉 films are presented. The effect of the composition of various erbium-containing targets (a-SiOx:H <Er,O>, ErOx, Er2SiO5, Er2O3, and Er), substrate temperature, and annealing temperatures in argon, air, and under conditions of SiH4 + Ar + O2 plasma glow is studied. In order to obtain a-SiOx:H 〈Er,O〉 films with the highest photoluminescence intensity of erbium ions, it is recommended for the following technological conditions to be used: the substrate holder should be insulated from dc-magnetron electrodes and the working gas mixture should include silane, argon, and oxygen. Single-crystal silicon and metal erbium should be used as targets. The erbium target should be placed only in the Si-target erosion zone.