Hydrogenated amorphous SiEr (a-SiEr:H) thin films were deposited by cosputtering. Oxygen and nitrogen were employed as impurity enhancers ofEr3+emission of light at 1540 nm, and photoluminescence, infrared absorption, and Raman spectroscopies were performed as a function of various annealing temperatures. As-deposited O-contaminated and N-dopeda-SiEr:H samples exhibitEr3+related photoluminescence, low intensity at room temperature, and maximum intensity after thermal annealing at∼500 °C.In addition to the enhancement of theEr3+emission of light, thermal annealing provokes the outdiffusion of hydrogen bonded to silicon atoms. The experimental data suggest that both hydrogen and thermal treatments improve theEr3+related photoluminescence by decreasing the occurrence of nonradiative processes. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.