Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 February 2011
Strong room temperature photoluminescence emission from thin films of Er nanoparticles embedded in a matrix of silicon is reported. The Er nanoparticles were produced by a pulsed laser ablation supersonic expansion technique. After a heat treatment at 500°C in an Ar-atmosphere, intense Er-related luminescence appears at λ = 1.54 gim, characteristic of intra-4f emission from Er3÷. Only a 50% reduction in photoluminescence intensity is observed as the temperature increases from 4 K to 300 K. A photocarrier mediated process is responsible for the excitation of the optically active Er-centers.