Luminescence from Si-Implanted SiO(2)-Si(3)N(4) Nano Bi-Layers for Electrophotonic Integrated Si Light Sources

In this paper, we present structural and luminescence studies of silicon-rich silicon oxide (SRO) and SRO-Si [Formula: see text] N [Formula: see text] bi-layers for integration in emitter-waveguide pairs that can be used for photonic lab-on-a-chip sensing applications. The results from bi and mono layers are also compared. Two clearly separated emission bands are respectively attributed to a combination of defect and quantum confinement–related emission in the SRO, as well as to defects found in an oxynitride transition zone that forms between the oxide and the nitride films, while ruling out quantum-confinement phenomena in the silicon nitride.