Study of the environment of Er in ZnSe using extended x-ray absorption fine structure and optical spectroscopy

Abstract

Extended x-ray absorption fine-structure measurements have been performed on ZnSe crystals doped with Er by an addition of ErF3 during growth. The results show that Er exists in these samples in an orthorhombic configuration with nine nearest F neighbours similar to that in orthorhombic ErF3. The energy level splittings observed in optical absorption and photoluminescence investigations in the region of the 4I15/2↔4I13/2 transitions at 1.54 µm are fully consistent with the orthorhombic symmetry of the Er centre.