Luminescent properties of MBE-grown Si:Er/SOI structures

Here we report on luminescent properties of multilayer Si:Er structures grown by sublimation molecular-beam epitaxy on "silicon-on-insulator" substrates. We demonstrate formation in such structures of a unique erbium-related center Er-1. This optical complex stands out among other known erbium-related centers in silicon for its record narrow luminescent line (<10 μeV) and largest absorption cross-section and, therefore, provides the best conditions to achieve practically significant amplification and stimulated emission in erbium-doped silicon structures.