Absorption cross section for the 4I15/2 → 4I13/2 transition of Er3+ in Si:Er:O/SOI epitaxial layers

Optical losses caused by the interaction of radiation with optically active Er3+ ions in epitaxial waveguide structures Si:Er/SOI have been directly measured. The cross section for the 4 I 13/2 → 4 I 15/2 radiative transition in the Er3+ ion has been estimated as σ300 K ∼ 8 × 10−19 cm2 at T = 300 K and σ10 K ∼ 10−17 cm2 at T = 10 K.