Abstract

Many studies on rare-earth-doped tantalum (V) oxide (Ta₂O₅) have been conducted because Ta₂O₅ is a potential host material for new phosphors due to its low phonon energy (100–450 cm⁻¹) compared with other oxide materials such as SiO₂ [1]. We have reported on various rare-earth (Er, Eu, Tm, and Y) doping into Ta₂O₅ thin films using simply co-sputtering of rare-earth oxide (Er₂O₃, Eu₂O₃, Tm₂O₃, and Y₂O₃) pellets and a Ta₂O₅ disc [2-5]. Moreover, yellow light emission from gallium nitride (GaN) co-doped with Er and Eu was reported [6], and the sensitization of photoluminescence (PL) from rare-earth ions by cerium (Ce) was demonstrated [7]. In this study, we fabricated Er, Eu, and Ce co-doped Ta₂O₅ (Ta₂O₅:Er, Eu, Ce) thin films using the same co-sputtering method for the first time, and observed yellow PL from a Ta₂O₅:Er, Eu, Ce film.

© 2015 IEEE