Presentation: 2025 ND EPSCoR Annual conference 

October 21, 2025, NDSU Memorial Union, Fargo, North Dakota

Rare-earth defects for solid-state lighting and quantum information

Rare-earth (RE) doped materials have long been of interest for solid-state lighting, involving luminescence or persistent luminescence. More recently, they have also been considered for quantum information applications. The materials offer sharp optical transitions and excellent coherence properties. Whether a RE dopant is being harnessed for traditional optical or optoelectronic applications or for novel quantum technologies, having a fundamental understanding of the interaction between the RE dopant and the semiconductor or insulator host is key to realizing its potential. Of particular interest are RE-related defects that can act as carrier trapping centers responsible for the delayed emission of light or for the nonresonant excitation of RE ions. The identification of such trapping centers has been challenging, however. In this talk, I will discuss recent results for RE-related defects in select semiconductors and insulators and elucidate the underlying luminescence mechanisms.