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Correlation of efficient luminescence with crystal structures of y-Er2Si2O7 and α-Er2Si2O7 in Er-doped silicon oxide films

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Abstract

We have investigated the fabrication and luminescent properties of different polymorphs of erbium (Er) silicate in Er-doped silicon oxide films. Silicon oxide films embedded with y-Er2Si2O7 and α-Er2Si2O7 layers have been fabricated with annealing at 1100 °C and 1150 °C, respectively. We demonstrate that y-Er2Si2O7 shows a stronger photoluminescence (PL) intensity, a longer PL lifetime, and a weaker PL thermal quenching effect than α-Er2Si2O7 due to the larger density of optically active Er ions, larger Er–Er average distance, higher symmetry, and stronger Er-O bonding. The Er lifetime–density product of y-Er2Si2O7 is as high as 3.5 × 1018 s cm−3 and is at least 2.4 times as large as that of α-Er2Si2O7 making y-Er2Si2O7 an excellent candidate for high optical gain.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by National Key R&D Program of China (2018YFB220025) and Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 61874095 and 61721005).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Silicon Materials and School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, People’s Republic of China

    Yuhan Gao, Qianyu Fu, Hao Shen, Dongsheng Li & Deren Yang

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  1. Yuhan Gao
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  2. Qianyu Fu
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  3. Hao Shen
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  4. Dongsheng Li
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  5. Deren Yang
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Correspondence to Dongsheng Li or Deren Yang.

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Gao, Y., Fu, Q., Shen, H. et al. Correlation of efficient luminescence with crystal structures of y-Er2Si2O7 and α-Er2Si2O7 in Er-doped silicon oxide films. J Mater Sci 54, 12668–12675 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-019-03783-3

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