Compositional tailoring via source doping for intense NIR photoluminescence in solution-processed Er³⁺:As₂Se₃ thin...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Photonics

Background:

• Rare-earth-doped chalcogenide films are crucial for flexible optoelectronic devices used in optical communications, metrology, and sensing.
• Dissolving selenide glasses for film fabrication presents a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To overcome the dissolution challenges of selenide glasses.
• To develop a scalable method for fabricating high-performance rare-earth-doped chalcogenide films.
• To achieve intense near-infrared (NIR) photoluminescence (PL) in Er3+-doped As2Se3 films.

Main Methods:

• Developed an optimized ethylenediamine-based solvent system for exceptional As2Se3 solubility.
• Engineered a uniform and reproducible spin-coating process for film fabrication.
• Controlled annealing temperature and Er3+ doping concentration, and utilized source solution doping.

Main Results:

• Achieved exceptional As2Se3 solubility (0.78 g/mL) in organic amine solvents.
• Demonstrated intense NIR PL at 1.5 µm from Er3+-doped As2Se3 films, with optimal performance at 3 mol% Er3+.
• Identified the critical impact of Se or As addition to precursor solutions on luminescence efficiency.

Conclusions:

• The study presents a robust and scalable approach for fabricating high-performance chalcogenide luminescent films.
• This advancement is key for the development of next-generation photonic devices.
• The optimized solvent system and fabrication process enable precise control over film properties and luminescence.