Optically active Er3+ ions in SiO2 codoped with Si nanoclusters

D. Navarro-Urrios (1) , Y. Lebour (2) , O. Jambois (2) , B. Garrido (2) , A. Pitanti (1) , N. Daldosso (1) , L. Pavesi (1) , Julien Cardin (3) , Khalil Hijazi (3) , Larysa Khomenkova (3) , Fabrice Gourbilleau (3) , Richard Rizk (3)

1 Laboratorio di Nanoscienze
2 LENS, MIND-IN2UB - Micronanotecnologies i nanoscòpies per dispositius electrònics i fotònics [Spain]
3 CIMAP - UMR 6252 - Centre de recherche sur les Ions, les MAtériaux et la Photonique

Optical properties of directly excited erbium (Er3+) ions have been studied in silicon rich silicon oxide materials codoped with Er3+. The spectral dependence of the direct excitation cross section (σdir) of the Er3+ atomic 4I152→4I112 transition (around 0.98 μm) has been measured by time resolved µ-photoluminescence measurements. We have determined that σdir is 9.0±1.5 x10−21 cm2 at 983 nm, at least twice larger than the value determined on a stoichiometric SiO2 matrix. This result, in combination with a measurement of the population of excited Er3+ as a function of the pumping flux, has allowed quantifying accurately the amount of optically active Er3+. This concentration is, in the best of the cases, 26% of the total Er population measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry, which means that only this percentage could provide optical gain in an eventual optical amplifier based on this material.

Domaines: Optique / photonique

D. Navarro-Urrios, Y. Lebour, O. Jambois, B. Garrido, A. Pitanti, et al.. Optically active Er3+ ions in SiO2 codoped with Si nanoclusters. Journal of Applied Physics, 2009, 106 (9), pp.093107. ⟨10.1063/1.3253753⟩. ⟨hal-02415337⟩