Characterization Of Er-Doped III-V Nitride Epilayers Prepared by Mombe

Er-doped AIN epilayers have been grown using metal-organic molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE) with controlled Er densities. Cell temperatures greater than 1000°C were required for the Er solid source in order to achieve significant Er concentrations in the epilayers. Er densities in the 1019 to 1020 cm−3 range were confirmed using secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), quantified using implanted standards. The epilayers were optically excited using an argon-ion laser and infrared luminescence spectra were measured over the temperature range 13 to 300 K. The spectra are centered at 1.54 μm and display features typical of the Er3+ configuration. These data demonstrate that high densities of Er atoms can be incorporated in AIN films during epitaxial growth and that the Er atoms give rise to the intra-4f transitions of the trivalent Er3+ ion.