Structure and visible photoluminescence of Sm³⁺, Dy³⁺ and Tm³⁺ doped c-axis oriented AlN films

Visible photoluminescence (PL) has been observed from rare earth (Tm, Sm and Dy)-doped AlN films grown by radio-frequency magnetron reactive sputtering. X-ray diffraction indicates that the films are c-axis-oriented hexagonal wurtzite type structure with an average crystal size of about 80--110nm. Room-temperature PL spectra indicate that the blue emission is due to the transition of ¹D₂ to ³F₄ and ¹G₂ to ³H₆ intra 4f electron of Tm³⁺, the yellow emissions of AlN:Sm are due to ⁴G_5/2 to the ⁶H_J (J = 5/2, 7/2, 9/2, 11/2) and the reddish emissions of AlN:Dy correspond to the ⁴F_9/2 to ⁶H_J (J = 15/2, 13/2, 11/2 and 9/2) and ⁶F_11/2 transitions.