Influence of the ion synthesis and ion doping regimes on the effect of sensitization of erbium emission by silicon nanoclusters in silicon dioxide films

The photoluminescence spectra of erbium centers in SiO$_2$ films with ion-synthesized silicon nanoclusters under nonresonant excitation were investigated. Erbium was introduced into thermal SiO$_2$ films by ion implantation. The dependences of photoluminescence intensity on the dose, the order of ion implantation of Si and Er, the annealing temperature, and additional Ar$^+$ and P$^+$ ion irradiation regimes, i.e., factors determining the influence of radiation damage and doping on sensitization of erbium luminescence by silicon nanoclusters, were determined. It was found that the sensitization effect and its amplification due to doping with phosphorus are most pronounced under the conditions where nanoclusters are amorphous. The quenching of photoluminescence due to radiation damage in this case manifests itself to a lesser extent than for crystalline nanoclusters. The role of various factors in the observed regularities was discussed in the framework of the existing concepts of the mechanisms of light emission and energy exchange in the system of silicon nanoclusters and erbium centers.