Visible and infrared luminescence study of Er doped β-Ga2O3 and Er3Ga5O12

The luminescence properties of Er doped beta-Ga2O3 and of the erbium gallium garnet Er3Ga5O12 (ErGG) have been investigated both in the visible and in the infrared (IR) ranges by means of photoluminescence (PL). Doping of the beta-Ga2O3 was obtained in two different ways: erbium ion implantation into beta-Ga2O3 and high temperature annealing of a mixture of Er2O3 and Ga2O3 powders. X-ray diffraction shows that the latter samples present both beta-Ga2O3 and ErGG phases. The PL studies demonstrate that the beta-Ga2O3 in these samples is doped with erbium. The differences in the luminescence emission and excitation peaks of the Er3+ ions in these two hosts are studied through selective PL measurements. Strong near IR emission and weak green emission from Er3+ in the beta-Ga2O3 matrix is obtained. The opposite is obtained for Er3+ in ErGG when excited under the same conditions. Room temperature luminescence is observed from erbium in the two hosts.