Erbium electroluminescence excitation in amorphous hydrogenated silicon under thermally stimulated deep-center tunneling ionization

Abstract

A study of the electroluminescence of erbium-doped, amorphous hydrogenated silicon, a-Si:H 〈Er〉, is reported. It has been found that the electroluminescence intensity at the wavelength λ=1.54 µm corresponding to the ⁴ I _13/2→⁴ I _15/2 intra-4f shell transition in Er passes through a maximum near room temperature. The unusual temperature and field dependences of the electroluminescence indicate electric-field induced multi-phonon tunneling emission of electrons from deep centers. The electroluminescence of Er³⁺ ions is due to their becoming excited as conduction-band electrons are captured by neutral dangling bonds (D ⁰ centers), which form when erbium is incorporated into the amorphous matrix. This Auger process transforms the center from its neutral state, D ⁰, to a negatively charged state, D ⁻, and the energy released in the capture is transferred by Coulomb interaction into the erbium-ion 4f shell. The steady-state current through the electroluminescent structure is supported by the reverse process of multi-phonon tunneling-electron emission from the D ⁻ center to the conduction band. The proposed theoretical model is in a good agreement with experimental data.