PHYSICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION OF Er3+:Yb3Al5O12 THIN FILMS FROM SOL-GEL DERIVED TARGETS

• Main Authors: T. Hlasek, K. Rubesova, Jakes V., Novacek M., Oswald J., Fitl P., Siegel J., Machac P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 2016-10-01
• Series: Ceramics-Silikáty
• Subjects: PLD; Electron beam deposition; Thin film; Ytterbium-aluminium garnet; Erbium
• Online Access: http://www.ceramics-silikaty.cz/index.php?page=cs_detail_doi&id=594
• ISSN: 0862-5468; 1804-5847

Although ytterbium aluminum garnets (YbAG) belong to a group of promising optical materials, no physical method of thin films deposition has been described so far. In this work we present the comparison of two valuable physical deposition techniques: pulsed laser deposition and electron beam evaporation. Erbium (Er3+) doped ytterbium garnet (Er0.005Yb0.995)₃Al₅O12 (Er:YbAG) thin films were prepared using own sol-gel derived ceramic targets. The phase composition of the films and crystallite size were determined using X-ray diffraction. Microstructure and surface morphology were studied by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Deposition parameters of used methods were optimized; however, both techniques produced amorphous films with insufficient microstructure. The effect of additional annealing on the crystallinity and luminescent properties of erbium ions was studied. A pure infrared emission of Er3+ ions was observed only in samples prepared by pulsed laser deposition with subsequent annealing.