Electroluminescence from metal–oxide–semiconductor devices based on erbium silicate nanocrystals and silicon nanocrystals co-embedded in silicon oxide thin films

A metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) electroluminescence device based on erbium silicate nanocrystals and silicon nanocrystals co-embedded in silicon oxide films fabricated by reactive magnetron co-sputtering on silicon substrate is reported. It was found that annealing temperatures have great influence on the structural composition of the deposited films. Only at 1100 °C annealing temperature, erbium silicate nanocrystals and silicon nanocrystals co-embedded in silicon oxide films formed. The MOS devices based on films with 112.9 % excess Si annealed at 1100 °C exhibited the lowest 20 V threshold voltage, highest near-infrared electroluminescence intensity, and external quantum efficiency (1.64*10−3) at 1540 nm because these films can combine the excellent optical activity of crystalline erbium silicate with better conductivity improved by Si nanocrystals.