1.54 μm Photoluminescence emission from Er-implanted SiO2 crystal and SiO2 glass

Er-doped materials are of great importance for application in optical communication. SiO2 crystal and silica glass have been implanted with 500 keV Er ions at a fluence of 3 × 1015 ions/cm2, with the aim of incorporating the rare-earth dopant on an optically active site. Erbium concentration profiles were analyzed by Rutherford backscattering technology. Photoluminescence (PL) spectrometry studies were performed at room temperature and at 12 K. The characteristic photoluminescence of Er3+ around 1.54 μm is observed at room temperature in as-implanted SiO2 crystal and SiO2 glass. And the influence of annealing on the PL intensity is studied.