(Invited) Eu- Oxide and Oxyhydroxide Nanofilms for Luminescent Photonic Components
Authors: Serna Rosalia , Gonzalo Jose , Nieto Piñero Eva N/A , Caño Andres , Gorni Giulio , Chacón-Sánchez Fernando , Mariscal-Jiménez Antonio 
Published: August 2024

Optically-doped rare-earth (RE) nanostructures find application in a diverse range of fields, including lighting (e.g. LEDs), displays, quantum memories, and biosensors such as luminescent nano-thermometers [1-5]. This is possible thanks to the ability of RE ions to provide robust and reliable light emission when incorporated in a solid. Since their performance depends critically on the composition and structure of the host material in order to successfully implement these RE-doped solids in technological applications it is desirable to achieve the controlled growth of low dimensional nanostructures that show efficient emission. This will enable on-chip component fabrication and their integration in photonic devices. The starting point of such technological development is the preparation of light emitting nanometer-thick films.
In this contribution, we present an alternative approach for the development of europium-based nanofilms, departing from conventional doping methods that rely on host matrices, typically oxides and oxinitrides of diverse elements, to encapsulate the Eu2+ or Eu3+ emitter ions [4-6]. We highlight the efficacy of employing direct Eu compounds, maximizing the number of active emitters in the nanofilms and resulting in the observation of intense emission from these nanostructures. Our search started with original studies on Eu oxides (EuOx 1/3<x<1), and demonstrated a broad tuning of their emission by controlling their stoichiometry [1]. In this context, we present the progress achieved through the successful fabrication of europium oxyhydroxide (EuOOH) nanofilms [7]. It is noteworthy that the conventional method for producing hydroxides and oxyhydroxides involves chemical hydrothermal procedures with multiple steps, including dehydration, ultimately yielding powders and micro-crystals unsuitable for integration. In contrast, our methodology employs a clean physical evaporation technique under vacuum conditions, yielding thin films ready for integration. Crystalline monoclinic EuOOH nanofilms were successfully grown on silicon substrates by using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and a subsequent annealing at a low temperature (250ºC). We will provide evidence of the physical mechanisms governing OH incorporation and discuss the influence of oxygen (O) and hydroxyl (OH) content on the resulting red emission of the Eu3+ ions related to the 5D0→2FJ transition, and on the optical properties of the films through the visible and infrared spectrum.
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