On excitation and decay mechanisms of the Yb³⁺luminescence in InP

Abstract

The excitation and decay mechanisms of the Yb3+ intra-4f-shell emission are studied in n-type MOVPE-grown and p-type LPE grown InP:Yb layers by photoconductivity measurements, time-resolved photoluminescence, photoluminescence excitation and emission spectroscopy. Assuming a pseudo-donor or pseudo-acceptor-like character of the isoelectronic Yb3+ Td centre the temperature dependences of the 4f-shell transition intensity and lifetime can be consistently explained. Models for the excitation and decay processes of the Yb3+ photoluminescence are proposed.