Epitaxial growth of Yb/Er co-doped HfO2 films with coexisting ferroelectric and luminescent properties

J Jie Tu Y Yingjia Li (Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices (MOE), Department of Electronics, East China Normal University , 200241 Shanghai,) E Erxiang Tang (Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices (MOE), Department of Electronics, East China Normal University , 200241 Shanghai,) X Xiaoyu Qiu X Xiang Xu Z Zijian Chen (State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemical Engineering) Y Yujie Zhou C Chen Zhou (Department of Chemistry) Z Zhao Guan N Ni Zhong P Pinghua Xiang (Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices (MOE), Department of Electronics, East China Normal University , 200241 Shanghai,) B Binbin Chen (School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.)

Abstract

We report on the fabrication of high-quality Yb3+ and Er3+ co-doped HfO2 epitaxial films using pulsed laser deposition. The host material HfO2 has relatively low phonon energy, which is desirable to inhibit the nonradiative relaxation. The dopant Yb3+ is used to stabilize the ferroelectric o-phase and also acts as the sensitizer to enhance the optical absorption cross section, while Er3+ is the luminescence activator. The films exhibit robust ferroelectricity with a remanent polarization of 12 μC/cm2 and comparable endurance performance to HfO2-based epitaxial films reported before. The up- and downconversion luminescence properties were ascertained by photoluminescence spectroscopy. The Yb3+/Er3+ co-doped HfO2 films with coexisting ferroelectric and luminescent functionalities may suggest a promising approach toward electric field tunable phosphors.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 126, Issue 21
Published May 26, 2025
ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Applied Physics Letters

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0003-6951 Physical Sciences

Authors (12)

J

Jie Tu

Y

Yingjia Li

Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices (MOE), Department of Electronics, East China Normal University , 200241 Shanghai,

E

Erxiang Tang

Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices (MOE), Department of Electronics, East China Normal University , 200241 Shanghai,

X

Xiaoyu Qiu

X

Xiang Xu

Z

Zijian Chen

State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Frontiers Science Center for Smart Materials, School of Chemical Engineering

Y

Yujie Zhou

C

Chen Zhou

Department of Chemistry

Z

Zhao Guan

N

Ni Zhong

P

Pinghua Xiang

Key Laboratory of Polar Materials and Devices (MOE), Department of Electronics, East China Normal University , 200241 Shanghai,

B

Binbin Chen

School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, China.