Highly Efficient Energy Transfer from Silicon to Erbium in Erbium-Hyperdoped Silicon Quantum Dots

Abstract

Erbium-doped silicon (Er-doped Si) materials hold great potential for advancing Si photonic devices. For Er-doped Si, the efficiency of energy transfer (ηET) from Si to Er3+ is crucial. In order to achieve high ηET, we used nonthermal plasma to synthesize Si quantum dots (QDs) hyperdoped with Er at the concentration of ~1% (i.e., ~5 × 1020 cm−3). The QD surface was subsequently modified by hydrosilylation using 1-dodecene. The Er-hyperdoped Si QDs emitted near-infrared (NIR) light at wavelengths of ~830 and ~1540 nm. An ultrahigh ηET (~93%) was obtained owing to the effective energy transfer from Si QDs to Er3+, which led to the weakening of the NIR emission at ~830 nm and the enhancement of the NIR emission at ~1540 nm. The coupling constant (γ) between Si QDs and Er3+ was comparable to or greater than 1.8 × 10−12 cm3·s−1. The temperature-dependent photoluminescence and excitation rate of Er-hyperdoped Si QDs indicate that strong coupling between Si QDs and Er3+ allows Er3+ to be efficiently excited.

A highly sensitive ratiometric near-infrared nanosensor based on erbium-hyperdoped silicon quantum dots for iron(Ⅲ) detection

“…Furthermore, hyperdoping Si QDs with Er (Si QDs:Er) effectively modulates their electron density given the low electronegativity (1.24) [40] of Er, thereby enhancing surface coordination with analytes such as Fe 3+ [33] . In addition, the electron transfer from Si QDs:Er to Fe 3+ may be facilitated by the hyperdoping of Er atoms [41] . Both enhanced surface coordination and electron transfer can potentially improve the sensitivity, further resulting in a lower LOD.…”

Editorial for the Special Issue “Amorphous and Nanocrystalline Semiconductors: Selected Papers from ICANS 29”

“…This includes topics such as Si-based, oxide, perovskite, 2D thin films and nanostructures, device applications for TFTs, solar cells, and LEDs, as well as memory devices and emerging flexible electronics and neuromorphic applications. For example, new fabrication technologies of amorphous and nanocrystalline thin films, electronic and optical characteristics, and device applications are presented and discussed in [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ], including theoretical work in an ab initio study [ 9 ], controllable growth and formation of Si nanowires [ 1 ], nanocrystals [ 2 ], and quantum dots [ 3 , 4 ]. There are also several papers that cover emerging memory devices.…”

“…Moreover, it was found that the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of SiNCs/SiC multilayer light-emitting diode (LED) can be improved by phosphor doping. Pi’s group [ 3 ] used nonthermal plasma to synthesize Si quantum dots (QDs) hyper-doped with Er at the concentration of ~1% to obtain near-infrared (NIR) light emission at a wavelength of ~830 and ~1540 nm. Furthermore, an ultrahigh η ET (~93%) was obtained owing to the effective energy transfer from SiQDs to Er 3+ .…”