Luminescence characterisation of defects in pld alumina and copper implanted silica

Abstract

Luminescence is reported for alumina and Al2O3:Cu films grown by pulsed laser deposition and is contrasted with luminescence from Cu ion implanted silica. The implanted samples display numerous emission bands with at least two associated to charge states or the Cu ions. The relative band intensities are altered by thermal treatments. In the case of the thin films the signals are sensitive to the growth conditions and show evidence for trapped Ar nanoparticles, from argon used as a background gas during film growth. Thus in both thin film and ion implanted material the luminescence offers a route to monitor the state of the defects and the copper impurity ions. © 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.