Erbium oxide, deposition

Uniform 1.5 pm thick PS layers were formed by anodization of p-type Si wafers of 0.3 Ohm em resistivity in 48% HE. After anodization, the HE electrolyte was replaced by a O.IM FeS04+0.001M EifNOals solution and a Fe Er film was electrochemically deposited into PS. As SIMS analysis showed, both Er and Fe can be introduced deeply into PS by this electrochemical technique [5], The maximum Er and Fe concentrations were estimated to be 0.1 and 10 at. %. The samples were oxidized at 500°C for 360 min and then at 1100°C for 15 min in O2 atmosphere. This treatment has been shown to form 5-50 nm iron/erbium oxide clusters inside OPS [5]. As comparison reference, Er-doped OPS containing Si clusters (without Fe) samples were fabricated in a similar way by polarization of PS in an Er(N03)3 solution. Photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra were recorded at 77 K by a grating spectrometer MDR-23 equipped with a Ge Cu detector. A Xe lamp was used as the excitation source. 

In another study Harris et al. (1984) have observed the formation of ErAl3 by interaction of thin erbium films deposited onto aluminium (non-anodized and anodized) substrates. At low temperature (550 K) there is formation of Er2Al and Er3Al2, at 573 K the ErAla alloy is formed. At 673 K XRD reveals that this alloy is the only intermetallic compound present and that it is stoichiometricaliy uniform. One must notice that in the case of an ErD2 thin film significant interdiffusion takes place with formation at 673 K of the ErAl3 alloy. It is also observed that erbium does not alloy with AI2O3 between 673 K and 773 K. This oxide inhibits the reaction of Er with Al. 

Finally, Sichel and Miller (1976) did not observe the formation of erbium-aluminum oxidized compounds by co-sputtering of a deposit of Er and AI2O3 (see section 5.4). 

Langlet M., Jenouvrier P., Pick J., Rimet R. Aerosol-gel deposition of optically active thin films in the system Y2Ti207-Er2Ti207. J. Sol-Gel Sci. Tech. 2003 26 985-988 Langlet M., Jenouvrier P., Pick J., Rimet R. Aerosol-gel deposition and spectroscopic characterization ofpyrochlore films heavily doped with erbium ions. Opt. Mater. 2003 25 141-147 Lin Y., Wu C. The properties of antimony-doped tin oxide thin films from the sol-gel process. Surf. Coat. Tech. 1997 88 239-247... 

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