High-resolution spectroscopy and time-resolved study of electroluminescence of Er-1 center in silicon

High-resolution and time-resolved measurements on the electroluminescence from Er-doped silicon diode structures with Er-1 center, grown with sublimation molecular beam epitaxy, have been performed within the temperature interval 30-120 K. We find emission lines with full width down to 0.2 cm−1 (25 μeV) at 30 K, the narrowest lines ever observed in Si:Er electroluminescence spectra, and excitation cross-section of 4×1−15 cm2. Auger-deexcitation of Er3+ ions with the activation energy of 16 meV was found to be the only deexcitation process in these structures and no 'back-transfer' deexcitation was observed. Due to ultra narrow emission lines and a high excitation cross-section such diode structures are promising for realization of an electrically pumped silicon-based laser.