Theoretical and experimental evaluation of silicon photonic structures for enhanced erbium up-conversion luminescence

The enhancement of Er3+-based up-conversion for photovoltaics in multilayer porous silicon photonic structures is considered theoretically and experimentally. Transfer matrix simulations are used to assess the increased photonic density of states that results from the slowing of energy propagation at the short-wavelength edge of one-dimensional photonic band gaps. An indirect calculation of Er3+ absorption enhancement within slow-light modes is then used to illustrate an increase in absorption over the bulk value: the effective absorption coefficient is shown to increase by more than 22% over a broad spectral region and by more than 400% over a narrow region. Erbium-doped porous silicon photonic crystals are fabricated with the photonic band edge coincident with the I15/24→I13/24Er3+ transition. Challenges in fabrication are discussed. An angular-dependent photoluminescence measurement demonstrates emission intensity that varies non-monotonically with the position of the photonic band edge. A maximum of 26.6×enhancement of Er3+ emission intensity is observed for the 550-nm transition, with lower enhancement factors seen for longer wavelengths.

► We model enhanced absorption in erbium-doped multilayer silicon photonic crystals.
► Large absorption achievable in structures with realistic fabrication parameters.
► Structure fabricated in porous silicon electrochemically doped with erbium.
► Measurement shows evidence of enhanced absorption near photonic crystal band edge.