Anomalous temperature dependence of erbium-related electroluminescence in reverse biased silicon p–n junction

Abstract
Electroluminescence (EL) and electrophysical characteristics of erbium and oxygen coimplanted and annealed p–n junctions, characterized by higher values of the Er3+-related EL intensity at ∼1.54 μm in the breakdown regime at 300 K as compared with that at 85 K, have been studied in the temperature range from 85 to 300 K. Hole traps in the Er–O codoped n layer were found to be responsible for the anomalous EL behavior. Er-related EL was observed in the same samples in avalanche breakdown at high temperatures and in tunnel breakdown at low temperatures.