Violet/blue emission from epitaxial cerium oxide films on silicon substrates

Abstract

Violet/blue photoluminescence was observed from epitaxial cerium oxide films on silicon substrates. The films were deposited on silicon (111) substrates under ultrahigh vacuum conditions using pulsed laser ablation of a cerium oxide target and treated by rapid thermal annealing in argon. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction measurements indicated the formation of a single crystal cerium oxide phase Ce6O11 different from CeO2 in the annealed films. The emission might be due to charge transfer transitions from the 4f band to the valence band of the oxide.