Visible and infrared emissions from c-axis oriented AlN:Er films grown by magnetron sputtering

摘要

Visible and infrared photoluminescence was observed from AlN:Er films grown by reactive radio-frequency magnetron sputtering under different powers. X-ray diffraction indicates that the films have a c-axis oriented hexagonal wurtzite structure with an average crystallite size of about 59-83 nm and a strain of about (1.12-1.69) X 10~(-3). Green emissions (～540 and 558 nm) from the AlN:Er films are due to the intra-4f~n transition of Er~(3+) from ~2H_(11/2) and ~4S_(3/2) to ~4I_(15/2), and infrared (～1535 nm) emissions correspond to ~4I_(13/2) to ~4I_(15/2) transitions. Increasing the sputtering power results in larger grain size, lower strain, and enhancement of the luminescence intensity.