Title :
Hollow Waveguides With Low Intrinsic Photoluminescence Fabricated With PECVD Silicon Nitride and Silicon Dioxide Films
Author :
Holmes, M.R. ; Shuo Liu ; Keeley, James ; Jenkins, Michael ; Leake, K. ; Schmidt, Heidemarie ; Hawkins, A.R.
Author_Institution :
Electr. Eng. Dept., Brigham Young Univ., Provo, UT, USA
Abstract :
A new type of integrated hollow core anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) with low intrinsic photoluminescence (PL) fabricated with plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) silicon nitride (SiN) and silicon dioxide (SiO2) films is demonstrated. The waveguide is fabricated by surrounding the hollow core with alternating layers of SiN and SiO2. The thicknesses and indices of the layers are designed to meet an anti-resonance condition. Compared to earlier ARROW structures made by depositing high-temperature (HT) SiN (250 °C), the PL background decreases by a factor of ~ 10 when low-temperature (LT) SiN (100 °C ) films are used. Therefore, LT SiN ARROWs are attractive platforms for sensitive fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy measurements of biomolecules.
Keywords :
integrated optics; optical design techniques; optical fabrication; optical multilayers; optical waveguides; photoluminescence; plasma CVD; silicon compounds; PECVD; Raman spectroscopy; SiN-SiO2; alternating layers; biomolecules; fluorescence spectroscopy; integrated hollow core antiresonant reflecting optical waveguide; low intrinsic photoluminescence; optical design; plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition; silicon dioxide films; silicon nitride; temperature 100 degC; temperature 250 degC; Fluorescence; Hollow waveguides; Optical device fabrication; Optical films; Optical waveguides; Silicon compounds; Anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguides (ARROWs); low intrinsic photoluminescence (PL); low-temperature silicon nitride (LT SiN); plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD);
Journal_Title :
Photonics Technology Letters, IEEE
DOI :
10.1109/LPT.2011.2162625
