Photoluminescence and photoconductivity of a thin film of oxidized nanoporous silicon doped with erbium ions

This paper presents the results of an investigation of the photoluminescence and photoconductivity of a thin film of oxidized nanoporous silicon doped with erbium ions. Structural studies showed that silicon clusters of spherical shape and sizes from 5 to 15 nm are present in the layer. Investigation of the photoluminescence spectra showed that they include intense peaks characteristic of the luminescence of erbium ions. Study of the spectral dependences of the photoconductivity revealed that the nanocomposite under investigation has a complex system of the energy distribution of the traps responsible for the photostimulated generation and recombination of minority charge carriers. (C) 2015 Optical Society of America.