Er-doped Si-based electroluminescent capacitors: Role of different host matrices on the electrical and luminescence properties

We report on the electrical and electroluminescence properties of four different layers based on Er-doped silicon oxide (or nitride) with (or without) silicon nanocrystals. Electrical measurements have allowed us to identify that samples composed by silicon nitride matrices present a Poole-Frenkel-type conduction, whereas those ones formed by silicon oxide matrices show a Fowler-Nordheim tunneling mechanism. In addition, infrared power efficiency at 1.54 μm has shown to be two orders of magnitude larger for Er-doped silicon oxide layers than for Er-doped silicon nitrides. Moreover, an interesting trade off between power efficiency at 1.54 μm and device operation lifetime has been observed by comparing both Er-doped silicon oxides and Er-doped silicon nitride layers.