Deep erbium-ytterbium implantation codoping of low-loss silicon oxynitride waveguides

The authors report the first photoluminescence studies and preliminary loss modulation measurements on low-loss planar silicon oxynitride optical waveguides co-implanted with Er and Yb. Deep high-dose ion implantation is used to create high concentration levels of Er and Yb dopants with the concentration profiles adapted to the guided pump mode (980 nm). It is found that Yb co-implantation at high concentrations (up to 1 atm.%) only reduces the initial Er ⁴I _13/2 level lifetime (5.3 ms) by less than 30%, while the 980 nm pump absorption is greatly increased. Loss modulation at 1.5 μm is detected in planar waveguides, thus indicating further possibility of using Er/Yb codoped SiON waveguides in active integrated optoelectronics