Photo- and Electro-Luminescence at 1.54µm from Er³⁺ in SiC:Er₂O₃ Films and Structures

SiC:Er₂O₃ films with different ratios of SiC to SiC:Er₂O₃ are deposited on p−type Si substrates by the magnetron co-sputtering technique, which was fully compatible with current Si processing technologies. Intense room temperature 1.54 µm photoluminescence (PL) from Er³⁺ ions in the SiC:Er₂O₃ films is observed and the PL intensity at 1.54 µm is enhanced by about 40 times with increasing Er concentration in the films from 0.8 to 22 at.% under both direct and indirect excitations. The 1.54 µm electroluminescence from the structure of indium tin oxide (ITO)/n⁺ −Si/SiC:Er₂O₃/p−Si with suitable ratios of SiC to SiC:Er₂O₃ is measured under forward biases.