Mechanism of enhanced photoluminescence of Tb ions in hydrogenated silicon-rich silicon oxide films

Terbium-doped silicon-rich silicon oxide films were deposited and hydrogenated at elevated temperatures. The influence of hydrogenation on defects-mediated non-radiative recombination of excited Tb3+ ions was investigated by means of photoluminescence and photoluminescence decay measurements. An increase in photoluminescence intensity and photoluminescence decay time was observed upon hydrogenation for the main 5D4–7F5 transition of Tb3+ ions. …