Violet/blue light-emitting cerium silicates

Abstract

We observed violet/blue light emitted from cerium silicates which may be useful for silicon-based optoelectronics. The cerium silicate was produced during a rapid thermal annealing at high temperature (> 1100 degrees C) from the interface between silicon substrate and cerium oxide film. Detailed experiments including x-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscope, and Auger depth profiling showed that the cerium silicate consists of Ce-4.667(SiO4)(3)O and Ce2Si2O7 phases. The photoluminescence of the cerium silicate is very strong at room temperature. Specifically, the 358 nm luminescence line is attributed to the Ce2Si2O7 phase. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)03342-2].