CMOS-compatible light emitting aperiodic photonic structures
A fabrication method and materials produce high quality aperiodic photonic structures. Light emission can be activated by thermal annealing post growth treatments when thin film layers of SiO 2 and SiN x or Si-rich oxide are used. From these aperiodic structures, that can be obtained in different vertical and planar device geometries, the presence of aperiodic order in a photonic device provides strong group velocity reduction (slow photons), enhanced light-matter interaction, light emission enhancement, gain enhancement, and/or nonlinear optical properties enhancement.
1. A method of fabricating an aperiodic multilayer structure, comprising:
(a) depositing a thin film layer of SiO 2 onto a substrate;
(b) depositing a thin film layer of Si y N x upon the layer of SiO 2 ;
(c) depositing additional layers of SiO 2 and layers of Si y N x to form an aperiodic multilayer structure wherein a thickness pattern of the layers of SiO 2 and Si y N x forming the aperiodic multilayer structure is aperiodic; and
(d) thermally annealing the aperiodic multilayer structure formed by depositing the layers of SiO 2 and the layers of Si y N x .
2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thin film layers of Si y N x are thin film layers of SiN.
3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thin film layers of Si y N x are thin film layers of Si 3 N 4 .
4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising:
(e) depositing a thin film layer of SiON x prior to thermal annealing.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the thermal annealing process includes:
(d1) thermally annealing, at a first temperature, the aperiodic multilayer structure; and
(d2) thermally annealing, at a second temperature, the aperiodic multilayer structure, the second temperature being greater than the first temperature.
6. A method of fabricating an aperiodic multilayer structure, comprising:
(a) depositing a thin film layer of SiO 2 onto a substrate;
(b) depositing a thin film layer of Si y N x upon the layer of SiO 2 ;
(c) depositing additional layers of SiO 2 , layers of SiN 3 , and layers of Si 3 N 4 , to form an aperiodic multilayer structure wherein a material composition pattern of the additional layers of SiO 2 , SiN 3 , and Si 3 N 4 forming the aperiodic multilayer structure is aperiodic; and
(d) thermally annealing the aperiodic multilayer structure formed by depositing the additional layers of SiO 2 , SiN 3 , and Si 3 N 4 .
7. The method as claimed in claim 6 , further comprising:
(e) depositing a thin film layer of SiON x prior to thermal annealing.
8. The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the thermal annealing process includes:
(d1) thermally annealing, at a first temperature, the aperiodic multilayer structure; and
(d2) thermally annealing, at a second temperature, the aperiodic multilayer structure, the second temperature being greater than the first temperature.
9. A method of fabricating an aperiodic multilayer structure, comprising:
(a) depositing a thin film layer of SiO 2 onto a substrate;
(b) depositing a thin film layer of Si y N x upon the layer of SiO 2 ;
(c) depositing additional layers of SiO 2 , layers of SiN 3 , and layers of Si 3 N 4 , to form an aperiodic multilayer structure wherein both a material composition pattern of the additional layers of SiO 2 , SiN 3 , and Si 3 N 4 and a thickness pattern of the additional layers of SiO 2 , SiN 3 , and Si 3 N 4 forming the aperiodic multilayer structure is aperiodic; and
(d) thermally annealing the aperiodic multilayer structure formed by depositing the additional layers of SiO 2 , SiN 3 , and Si 3 N 4 .
10. The method as claimed in claim 9 , further comprising:
(e) depositing a thin film layer of SiON x prior to thermal annealing.
11. The method as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the thermal annealing process includes:
(d1) thermally annealing, at a first temperature, the aperiodic multilayer structure; and
(d2) thermally annealing, at a second temperature, the aperiodic multilayer structure, the second temperature being greater than the first temperature.