Er-doped SiO2 films by rf magnetron co-sputtering

The magnetron sputtering assisted by radiofrequency is a versatile technique to obtain glass films doped with rare earths. Er:SiO2 systems are optical materials able to amplify an optical signal at λ = 1.54 μm (the most used wavelength in fiber glass for optical telecommunications). Different energy treatments of these materials were performed, both during and after the sputtering deposition synthesis, with the aim at optimizing the radiative emission. The best-performing Er:SiO2 samples obtained are characterized by a photoluminescence yield comparable to that of the best Er:SiO2 systems obtained by other synthesis techniques.