Guided photoluminescence study ofNd-doped Silicon Rich Silicon Oxide and Silicon Rich Silicon Nitride waveguides

Planar waveguides made of Nd 3+ -doped silicon rich silicon oxide (SRSO) and silicon rich silicon nitride (SRSN) have been fabricated by reactive magnetron sputtering and characterized with special emphasis on the comparison of the guided photoluminescence (PL) properties of these two matrices. Guided fluorescence excited by top surface pumping at 488 nm on planar waveguides was measured as a function of the distance between the excitation area and the output of the waveguide, as well as a function of the pump power density. The PL intensity increased linearly with pump power without any saturation even at high power. The linear intensity increase of the Nd 3+ guided PL under a non-resonant excitation (488 nm) confirms the efficient coupling betweeneither Si-np and RE ions for SRSO or radiative defectsandrare earth ionsfor SRSN. The guided fluorescences at 945 and 1100 nm were observed until 4 mm and 8 mm of the output of the waveguide for Nd 3+ doped SRSO and SRSN waveguides, respectively. Co-propagation has been only carried out on silicon nitride planar waveguide for a sample length superior to 1.5 cm. The guided fluorescence decays of Nd 3+ -doped-SRSO and -SRSN planar waveguides have been measured and found equal to ha l-0 08 42 33 8, v er si on 1 8 Ju l 2 01 3 Author manuscript, published in "Journal of Applied Physics 114, 1 (2013) 014906" DOI : 10.1063/1.4812470