Abstract

A novel approach for infrared optical activation of neodymium-doped porous silicon (PS:Nd), using microwave radiation, is reported. PS:Nd was prepared using constant-potential electrochemical doping; the effects of microwave heating time, microwave power and the dosage of heat-conducting medium used on the room-temperature photoluminescence (PL) in the infrared region for PS:Nd were investigated. The treated samples emitted intense room-temperature luminescence around 1.06 and 0.90 µm. In addition to thermal activation, the non-thermal interaction of microwave radiation with PS:Nd, mainly resulting in the spread of rare earth and the trapping of oxygen by neodymium ions in the porous layer, is considered to play an important role in the optical activation of neodymium.