Influence of post annealing treatments on the luminescence of rare earth ions in ZnO:Tb,Eu/Si heterojunction

(Tb, Eu)–co-doped ZnO films with about 3 at.% total doping rate were grown by magnetron sputtering on Si substrate. Post annealing treatments performed at 973–1373 K in continuous nitrogen flow to investigate the transformation of microstructural and optical characteristics means X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence electroluminescence. For temperatures lower than 1073 K, segregation Eu Tb was observed mainly film/substrate junction. higher 1173 additional phases appeared, namely, Zn2SiO4 rare earth silicates. highest temperature investigated (1373 K), only silica silicates remained film due Zn evaporation. PL measurements indicated a very intense emission associated presence silicate inclusions. Energy transfer from towards evidenced this secondary phase. At last, based these preliminary works, ZnO/Si electroluminescent structure produced showed promising results paving way for thin light emitting diodes.