Thermal quenching of Er3+-related luminescence in In1−xGaxP

Thermal quenching of the characteristic intracenter luminescence from trivalent Er ions in In1−xGaxP layers was investigated. The Er-doped InGaP alloys were prepared by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy with compositions ranging from x=0 to 0.31. A thermally activated luminescence quenching was observed with an activation energy that depended on the alloy composition. From measurements of the thermal quenching of the photoluminescence, the energy level of an erbium-related trapping center in the alloys was determined. The variation of the position of the Er-related energy level as a function of alloy composition is explained in terms of a vacuum-referred binding energy model.