Photoluminescence (PL) at 1.54 μm of erbium-doped Si1−yCy alloys grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) has been analyzed depending on sample temperature, excitation density, and growth conditions. Erbium activation raises with increasing incorporation of substitutional carbon compared to interstitial carbon. For [Er]=4.5×1019 cm−3 and y=0.1% maximum PL output at 1.54 μm was achieved for growth temperatures at 430 °C. Additional annealing could further enhance PL intensity at 1.54 μm. For increasing sample temperature a decrease of PL intensity with two characteristic activation energies around 100 and 10–20 meV is observed, which results in quenching of PL intensity at lower temperatures for Si:Er:C layers compared to Si:Er:O layers. PL spectra show different fine structure for oxygen and carbon codoping by MBE or ion implantation, higher efficiency, and lower PL background for MBE-grown samples in contrast to ion-implanted layers.

Efficient light emission at 1.54μ m from Er in Si excited by hot electron injection through thin suboxide layers Hot electron impact excitation cross-section of Er 3+ and electroluminescence from erbium-implanted silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor tunnel diodes Mechanism and performance of forward and reverse bias electroluminescence at 1.54 μm from Er-doped Si diodes

In this letter, we demonstrate room-temperature electroluminescence from erbium ions in SiGe waveguide structures. Molecular beam epitaxy was employed to deposit SiGe layers doped with erbium and oxygen on (100)Si. Samples were processed as mesa waveguides and contacted to allow electrical pumping of the erbium ions. The luminescence was collected from the waveguides by a confocal microscope revealing emission from the end facet with a narrow spatial distribution.

The photoluminescence at 1.54 μm of erbium- and oxygen-doped Si/Si1−xGex samples grown completely by molecular beam epitaxy has been investigated for germanium concentrations ranging from x=0 to x=0.165. The dopants were either placed into the Si1−xGex or into the Si layers of an alternating Si/Si1−xGex layer structure. Because of the good crystal quality after growth, it was possible to obtain all luminescence data from as-grown samples without annealing. We observed a decrease in photoluminescence (PL) intensity and a stronger temperature dependence with increasing Ge content. For samples with the same Si/Si1−xGex layer structure, an enhancement of PL intensity at low temperature was seen when erbium and oxygen were placed into the Si1−xGex layers rather than into the Si layers. We attribute this effect to a capture of photogenerated carriers in the Si1−xGex layers.

Optical amplification and electroluminescence at 1.54 m in Er-doped zinc silicate germanate on silicon Hot electron impact excitation cross-section of Er 3+ and electroluminescence from erbium-implanted silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor tunnel diodes Room temperature 1.54 m light emission of erbium doped Si Schottky diodes prepared by molecular beam epitaxy Appl.