US Patent 7916986 Erbium-doped silicon nanocrystalline embedded silicon oxide waveguide

An erbium (Er)-doped silicon (Si) nanocrystalline embedded silicon oxide (SiOx) waveguide and associated fabrication method are presented. The method provides a bottom layer, and forms an Er-doped Si nanocrystalline embedded SiOx film waveguide overlying the bottom layer, having a minimum optical attenuation at about 1540 nanometers (nm). Then, a top layer is formed overlying the Er-doped SiOx film. The Er-doped SiOx film is formed by depositing a silicon rich silicon oxide (SRSO) film using a high density plasma chemical vapor deposition (HDPCVD) process and annealing the SRSO film. After implanting Er+ ions, the Er-doped SiOx film is annealed again. The Er-doped Si nanocrystalline SiOx film includes has a first refractive index (n) in the range of 1.46 to 2.30. The top and bottom layers have a second refractive index, less than the first refractive index.