Objective
The aim of this project is the investigation and development of highly effective light emitting structures based on Si:RE for photo- and electroluminescence with the purpose to establish the conditions necessary for the laser action. The efforts of the participating scientific teams will be directed on the investigation of the mechanisms governing luminescence of both Er and other rare earth elements in silicon, the development of new technological approaches, the fabrication and development of new light emission structures, including SiOx:Er precipitate-containing structures and sublimation MBE grown multilayer structures with very small characteristic sizes down to 10-20 nm (Si:Er/Si and SiGe:Er/Si), proposed for efficient room temperature operation, the improvement of the gain. The three-level scheme of Er excitation in reverse biased electroluminescent structures proposed earlier by the authors of this project and new schemes including the co-activation of Er ions with the different RE elements as well the three-level scheme of the excitation of Ho3+ ions in Si will be established.
The nature of optically and electrically active centres and the nature of intermediate states, related with rare-earth ions and responsible for the temperature quenching of luminescence will be studied, as well the formation processes. Light emitting centres will be studied for exact choice of the most suitable centres for the improvement of the gain and the possibility to realize a laser.
Theoretical and experimental investigations of the electroexcitation and de-excitation mechanisms of optically active RE-related centres in reverse biased electroluminescent structures will be performed with the aim to find the conditions necessary to achieve population inversion. Attempts will be done to use Yb for pumping of the second excited state of the Er-ion and to realize the three-level excitation scheme (nearest aim - enhancement of luminescent emission due to sensibilization effect). Si:Ho will be investigated as alternative variant for the realization of a laser on Si basis.
Successful fulfilment of the projects goals will give a good chance to achieve stimulated emission and the realization of laser light generation on Si basis.
Call for proposal
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4040 Linz
Austria