Erbium location into AlN films as probed by spatial resolution experimental techniques

This paper presents a thorough experimental investigation of erbium-doped aluminium nitride thin films prepared by R.F. magnetronsputtering, coupling Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy X-ray-mapping imagery, conventional Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The study is an attempt of precise localisation of the rare earth atoms inside the films and in the hexagonal w{u}rtzite unit cell.The study shows that AlN:Erx is a solid solution even when x reaches 6 at.%, and does not lead to the precipitation of erbium rich phases. The X-ray diffraction measurements completed by simulation show that the main location of erbium in the AlN w{u}rtzite is the metal substitution site on the whole range. They also show that octahedral and tetrahedral sites of the w{u}rtzite do welcome Er ions over the [1.6--6%] range. The XRD deductions allow some interpretations on the theoretical mechanisms of the photoluminescence mechanisms and more specifically on their concentration quenching.