張慧玉,趙靜,郭強(qiáng),劉海旭,丁文革
(河北大學(xué) 物理科學(xué)與技術(shù)學(xué)院,河北 保定 071002)
摻鉺富硅氧化硅發(fā)光器件電致發(fā)光衰減機(jī)制
張慧玉,趙靜,郭強(qiáng),劉海旭,丁文革
(河北大學(xué) 物理科學(xué)與技術(shù)學(xué)院,河北 保定 071002)
首先采用多靶射頻磁控共濺射結(jié)合后退火工藝制備了摻Er富硅氧化硅MIS(金屬-絕緣體-半導(dǎo)體結(jié)構(gòu))電致發(fā)光器件,然后通過(guò)電致發(fā)光(EL)以及電流-電壓(I-U)特性測(cè)量對(duì)發(fā)光器件的光電性能進(jìn)行表征.最后,通過(guò)對(duì)比不同富硅含量的發(fā)光器件的載流子輸運(yùn)機(jī)制,并通過(guò)分析器件中的電荷俘獲過(guò)程,對(duì)富硅氧化硅器件中鉺離子電致發(fā)光的激發(fā)和猝滅機(jī)制進(jìn)行了解釋.結(jié)果表明:富硅的存在改變了MIS發(fā)光器件中的載流子輸運(yùn)過(guò)程,造成外加電場(chǎng)下注入的電子能量降低,進(jìn)而降低Er離子發(fā)光中心的激發(fā)效率;而富硅引入的缺陷態(tài)會(huì)引起電荷俘獲及俄歇效應(yīng),也會(huì)使得發(fā)光中心發(fā)生非輻射復(fù)合過(guò)程.
摻鉺富硅氧化硅;電致發(fā)光;載流子輸運(yùn);電荷俘獲
近年來(lái)?yè)姐s(Er)富硅氧化硅成為硅基發(fā)光材料和器件研究領(lǐng)域的前沿問(wèn)題[1].經(jīng)過(guò)退火等工藝形成并析出的納米晶硅可將能量傳遞給Er3+離子1.54 μm的光致發(fā)光從而產(chǎn)生該波長(zhǎng)發(fā)光的增強(qiáng)作用.這種發(fā)光敏化作用可以在集成光放大器和硅基發(fā)光器件的制備中得到廣泛的應(yīng)用[2-4],而1.54 μm 波長(zhǎng)對(duì)應(yīng)于光纖材料的最小損耗窗口,使其對(duì)光纖通訊技術(shù)發(fā)展起到巨大的促進(jìn)作用.為了拓展其應(yīng)用范圍并實(shí)現(xiàn)硅基光電集成,開(kāi)發(fā)基于摻Er富硅氧化硅的電致發(fā)光器件具有重要意義[5-6].目前,摻鉺電致發(fā)光器件已被人們廣泛報(bào)道[7-8],然而對(duì)其電致發(fā)光研究表明,納米晶硅(nc-Si)會(huì)對(duì)Er3+離子的電致發(fā)光產(chǎn)生抑制作用[9],而對(duì)其電致發(fā)光機(jī)制和發(fā)光猝滅的解釋也尚不明確[10-11],這表明需要建立相關(guān)的模型對(duì)該現(xiàn)象加以探討.
本文以多靶射頻磁控共濺射、后退火和光刻等工藝,制備出富硅和稀土Er3+離子共摻雜的SiOxMIS結(jié)構(gòu)電致發(fā)光器件.通過(guò)穩(wěn)態(tài)熒光光譜、I-U特性等測(cè)試手段對(duì)器件的光、電性質(zhì)進(jìn)行了表征,對(duì)器件電致發(fā)光、載流子輸運(yùn)和電荷俘獲過(guò)程進(jìn)行了分析,探討了EL發(fā)光和衰減機(jī)制,為進(jìn)一步完善MIS發(fā)光器件的結(jié)構(gòu)和制備條件提供了實(shí)驗(yàn)方面的指導(dǎo).
電致發(fā)光器件制備:對(duì)3英寸的n型硅片表面進(jìn)行RCA清洗,然后通過(guò)三靶磁控共濺射系統(tǒng)以SiO2、Er2O3和Si 3個(gè)靶材制備100 nm厚的摻Er富硅氧化硅層(SiOx:Er).發(fā)光活性層沉積完成后,進(jìn)行1 100 ℃的后退火處理,形成并析出納米晶硅并激活Er3+離子的發(fā)光活性.通過(guò)原子層沉積系統(tǒng)(Atomic layer deposition)生長(zhǎng)70 nm厚的Al2O3high-K介質(zhì)層,生長(zhǎng)過(guò)程中以三甲基鋁(TMA)和H2O作為氣相反應(yīng)源,生長(zhǎng)溫度為200 ℃.最后以濺射在器件正面和背面分別生長(zhǎng)ITO透明導(dǎo)電電極和鋁電極.實(shí)驗(yàn)中在保證其他實(shí)驗(yàn)參數(shù)相同條件下,改變SiOx:Er活性層中富Si的摻入量.其中Er的質(zhì)量分?jǐn)?shù)均為1.5%;而富Si質(zhì)量分?jǐn)?shù)分別為0%,2.5%和7%.通過(guò)對(duì)比分析不同摻富Si對(duì)電致發(fā)光性能的影響.
圖1 MIS發(fā)光器件的結(jié)構(gòu)示意Fig.1 Schematic diagram of the MIS-LED structure
器件的光電特性表征:通過(guò)FLS920熒光光譜儀測(cè)量摻鉺富硅MIS發(fā)光器件(圖1)的光致和電致發(fā)光,采用Keithley2410源表測(cè)量器件的I-U特性曲線.
圖2為樣品的可見(jiàn)和紅外波段的電致發(fā)光光譜,外加的注入電流密度為60 mA/cm2.由圖2可知,摻Er而不含富Si的樣品電致發(fā)光峰的峰值波長(zhǎng)為380、410、437、475、522、550、658、1 533 nm,分別對(duì)應(yīng)于稀土鉺離子的4f電子殼層能級(jí)躍遷(2G11/2—4I15/2,2H9/2—4I15/2,(2F3/2+2F5/2)—4I15/2,2F7/2—4I15/2,2H11/2—4I15/2,2S3/2—4I15/2,4F9/2—4I15/2,4I13/2—4I15/2).而圖2中質(zhì)量分?jǐn)?shù)為2.5%富Si和1.5%Er元素的樣品的電致發(fā)光強(qiáng)度在可見(jiàn)波段無(wú)明顯改變,而在紅外波段有所下降.圖2中7%富Si的樣品在可見(jiàn)和紅外波段均出現(xiàn)明顯的光強(qiáng)降低.摻入富Si使得器件電致發(fā)光減弱,說(shuō)明富Si的摻入以及納米晶硅的存在對(duì)電致發(fā)光有猝滅作用.圖2內(nèi)嵌圖a為顯微鏡中拍攝到的不含富Si樣品電致發(fā)光照片,測(cè)試點(diǎn)為直徑0.8 mm的圓形ITO電極區(qū)域.可以看到測(cè)試點(diǎn)在外加電壓激發(fā)下發(fā)出綠色發(fā)光,而且整個(gè)區(qū)域發(fā)光均勻.值得注意的是,測(cè)試點(diǎn)在加壓時(shí)Er的多條譜線被同時(shí)激發(fā),光譜中也存在藍(lán)光、紅光以及1.5 μm波長(zhǎng)的紅外發(fā)光.而圖2中內(nèi)嵌圖b為質(zhì)量分?jǐn)?shù)為7%富Si的樣品發(fā)光照片,可以看到在相同的電流注入條件下,其電致發(fā)光顯著減弱.
圖3給出了含不同富Si的MIS-LED樣品的電流密度-電壓(I-U)特性曲線.由圖3可知,樣品SiOx層只摻Er時(shí),具有較高的發(fā)光閾值電壓,其發(fā)光主要為MOS結(jié)構(gòu)中高場(chǎng)下注入到SiO2的導(dǎo)帶熱電子(Fowler-Nordheim)的碰撞激發(fā)模式.而由質(zhì)量分?jǐn)?shù)分別為2.5%和7%富Si的樣品的I-U曲線可知,當(dāng)摻入富Si的質(zhì)量分?jǐn)?shù)增大時(shí),發(fā)光的閾值電壓降低,其中質(zhì)量分?jǐn)?shù)為7%富Si的樣品尤其明顯(如圖3中箭頭所示).閾值電壓的降低說(shuō)明:由于納米晶硅的形成,載流子傳輸過(guò)程中發(fā)生缺陷輔助躍遷的幾率增加,輸運(yùn)機(jī)制由高場(chǎng)注入改變?yōu)槿毕葺o助隧穿傳導(dǎo)[12].發(fā)光活性層中的納米晶硅使得注入電子時(shí)的勢(shì)壘降低,注入電子無(wú)法在電場(chǎng)中加速并獲得足夠的能量,從而無(wú)法進(jìn)入到SiO2的導(dǎo)帶成為過(guò)熱電子,造成Er發(fā)光中心碰撞激發(fā)效率降低.
λ/nm圖2 不同富硅含量的MIS樣品的電致發(fā)光光譜(內(nèi)嵌圖為含富硅質(zhì)量分?jǐn)?shù)分別為0和7%的發(fā)光器件的暗場(chǎng)發(fā)光照片)Fig.2 Electroluminescence spectra of different MOS samples with different excess Si in the devices(the inset shows the photographs of light emission images of devices with 0% and 7% excess Si)
U/V圖3 不同富硅含量的MIS-LED的電流密度-電壓(I-U)特性曲線Fig.3 Current density-voltage characteristics of the samples with different excess Si in the SiOx active layer of MIS-LED
基于以上分析,筆者提出了含有富Si時(shí)的MIS結(jié)構(gòu)電致發(fā)光的機(jī)制,如圖4a所示,圖4a中以數(shù)字標(biāo)出了不同的物理過(guò)程.在器件上外加電場(chǎng)時(shí),載流子處于積累狀態(tài),但由于電子注入的勢(shì)壘降低,電子和空穴通過(guò)納米晶硅發(fā)生隧穿〈1〉,并在納米硅中發(fā)生復(fù)合過(guò)程〈2〉,進(jìn)而將能量傳遞給臨近的Er發(fā)光中心〈3〉.Er發(fā)光中心獲得的部分能量由于俄歇過(guò)程(Auger quenching)〈4〉,將激發(fā)富Si缺陷俘獲的載流子,使其分別躍遷到導(dǎo)帶或價(jià)帶中的能級(jí).剩余部分處于激發(fā)態(tài)的Er3+離子發(fā)生輻射躍遷〈5〉.
圖4b為MIS電致發(fā)光器件中計(jì)算得到的電荷俘獲量以及納米晶硅的電致發(fā)光峰(700 nm)隨著注入電荷量的變化,測(cè)量時(shí)保持恒定注入電流密度1 mA/cm2.由圖4b可見(jiàn),隨著恒流注入,俘獲的電子量不斷增加并趨于飽和,而納米晶硅的電致發(fā)光峰則不斷衰減,電子俘獲與EL的猝滅具有一致性.通過(guò)分析可知,存在納米晶硅時(shí),Er的電致發(fā)光猝滅機(jī)制為1)納米晶硅改變了載流子輸運(yùn)機(jī)制,使得注入電子能量降低,發(fā)光中心激發(fā)效率下降; 2)俄歇效應(yīng),納米晶硅激發(fā)后,通過(guò)非輻射復(fù)合將能量傳遞給被陷阱俘獲的電荷,并將其激發(fā)到更高能級(jí).
本文研究了摻Er富硅氧化硅MIS-LED的電致發(fā)光光譜和I-U特性.通過(guò)分析其載流子輸運(yùn)機(jī)制,給出了不同富Si含量的摻鉺MIS-LED的發(fā)光機(jī)制和衰減機(jī)制,解釋了納米晶硅引起器件EL猝滅的原因.結(jié)果表明MIS結(jié)構(gòu)中的納米晶硅會(huì)引起載流子的缺陷輔助隧穿,進(jìn)而降低注入的載流子能量,使得Er3+離子的激發(fā)效率降低.另外,摻入富Si會(huì)在MIS發(fā)光器件中引入缺陷,其所俘獲的電荷會(huì)引起俄歇效應(yīng),進(jìn)而使得Er3+離子的EL猝滅.
圖4 a.含富硅的MIS樣品的能帶結(jié)構(gòu)示意;b.電致發(fā)光衰減和電荷俘獲量的關(guān)系Fig.4 a. Band diagram of MIS samples with excess Si content in the SiOx layer;b. the relationship between EL decay and trapped charge
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(責(zé)任編輯:孟素蘭)
Decay mechanism of the erbium-doped silicon-rich silicon oxide electroluminescence device
ZHANG Huiyu, ZHAO Jing, GUO Qiang,LIU Haixu, DING Wenge
(College of Physics Science and Technology, Hebei University, Baoding 071002, China)
The metal insulator semicsnductor light emitting diod (MIS-LED) with the erbium-doped silicom-rich silicom oxide was fabricated by radio frequency co-sputtering combined with post-annealing technique.The luminescence and electrical properties of the device were characterized by electroluminescence (EL) spectra and current-voltage measurement.Carrier transport and charge trapping mechanisms of the LEDs with different excess silicon content were investigated.Excitation and quenching mechanisms of the electroluminescence from erbium ions in the device were also studied and explained.The results indicated that, with the excess silicon in the MIS-LEDs, the conduction of carriers transform from Fowler-Nordheim tunneling to hopping conduction and the quenching of the EL can be attributed to the energy reduction of the injected electrons and the lowered excitation efficiency of the erbium ions.In addition, the Auger effect induced by charge trapping would also account for the nonradiative recombination processes.
Erbium-doped silicon-rich oxide; electroluminescence; carrier transport; charge trapping
10.3969/j.issn.1000-1565.2017.04.005
2017-01-05
河北省科技計(jì)劃項(xiàng)目(13214315);河北省高??茖W(xué)技術(shù)研究項(xiàng)目(QN20131115);教育部博士點(diǎn)基金資助項(xiàng)目(20131301120003)
張慧玉(1993—),女,河北保定人,河北大學(xué)在讀研究生,主要從事新能源光電功能材料研究. E-mail:851589084@qq.com
劉海旭(1982—),男,河北保定人,河北大學(xué)講師,博士,主要從事光電功能材料研究. E-mail:liuchen665@163.com
O469
A
1000-1565(2017)04-0360-04