Properties of Erbium and Ytterbium Doped Gallium Nitride Layers Fabricated by Magnetron Sputtering

Abstract

We report about some properties of erbium and erbium/ytterbium doped gallium nitride (GaN) layers fabricated by magnetron sputtering on
silicon, quartz and Corning glass substrates. For fabricating GaN layers two types of targets were used - gallium in a stainless steel cup and
a Ga₂O₃ target. Deposition was carried out in the Ar+N₂ gas mixture. For erbium and ytterbium doping into GaN layers, erbium metallic
powder and ytterbium powder or Er₂O₃ and Yb₂O₃ pellets were laid on the top of the target. The samples were characterized by X-ray
diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence spectra and nuclear analytical methods. While the use of a metallic gallium target ensured the
deposition of well-developed polycrystalline layers, the use of gallium oxide target provided GaN films with poorly developed crystals. Both
approaches enabled doping with erbium and ytterbium ions during deposition, and typical emission at 1 530 nm due to the Er³⁺ intra-4f ⁴I_13/2 → ⁴I_15/2 transition was observed.