Modeling of optical amplifier waveguide based on silicon nanostructures and rare earth ions doped silica matrix gain media by a finite-difference time-domain method: comparison of achievable gain with Er3+ or Nd3+ ions dopants

A comparative study of the gain achievement is performed in a waveguide optical amplifier whose active layer is constituted by a silica matrix containing silicon nanograins acting as sensitizer of either neodymium ions (Nd 3+) or erbium ions (Er 3+). Due to the large difference between population levels characteristic times (ms) and finite-difference time step (10 --17 s), the conventional auxiliary differential equation and finite-difference time-domain (ADE-FDTD) method is not appropriate to treat such systems. Consequently, a new two loops algorithm based on ADE-FDTD method is presented in order to model this waveguide optical amplifier. We investigate the steady states regime of both rare earth ions and silicon nanograins levels populations as well as the electromagnetic field for different pumping powers ranging from 1 to 10 4 mW.mm-2. Furthermore, the three dimensional distribution of achievable gain per unit length has been estimated in this pumping range. The Nd 3+ doped waveguide shows a higher gross gain per unit length at 1064 nm (up to 30 dB.cm-1) than the one with Er 3+ doped active layer at 1532 nm (up to 2 dB.cm-1). Considering the experimental background losses found on those waveguides we demonstrate that a significant positive net gain can only be achieved with the Nd 3+ doped waveguide. The developed algorithm is stable and applicable to optical gain materials with emitters having a wide range of characteristic lifetimes.Comment: Photonics West , Feb 2015, San Francisco, United States. S, SPIE Proceedings, 9357 (935709), 2015, Physics and Simulation of Optoelectronic Devices XXIII. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1405.533

Theoretical investigation of the more suitable rare earth to achieve high gain in waveguide based on silica containing silicon nanograins doped with either Nd3+ or Er3+ ions

We present a comparative study of the gain achievement in a waveguide whose active layer is constituted by a silica matrix containing silicon nanograins acting as sensitizer of either neodymium ions (Nd3+) or erbium ions (Er3+). By means of an auxiliary differential equation and finite difference time domain (ADE-FDTD) approach that we developed, we investigate the steady states regime of both rare earths ions and silicon nanograins levels populations as well as the electromagnetic field for different pumping powers ranging from 1 to 104 mW/mm2. Moreover, the achievable gain has been estimated in this pumping range. The Nd3+ doped waveguide shows a higher gross gain per unit length at 1064 nm (up to 30 dB/cm) than the one with Er3+ doped active layer at 1532 nm (up to 2 dB/cm). Taking into account the experimental background losses we demonstrate that a significant positive net gain can only be achieved with the Nd3+ doped waveguide

Photonic Properties of Silicon-Based Materials

Non peer reviewe

Effect of the Nd content on the structural and photoluminescence properties of silicon-rich silicon dioxide thin films

In this article, the microstructure and photoluminescence (PL) properties of Nd-doped silicon-rich silicon oxide (SRSO) are reported as a function of the annealing temperature and the Nd concentration. The thin films, which were grown on Si substrates by reactive magnetron co-sputtering, contain the same Si excess as determined by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra show that a phase separation occurs during the annealing because of the condensation of the Si excess resulting in the formation of silicon nanoparticles (Si-np) as detected by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. Under non-resonant excitation at 488 nm, our Nd-doped SRSO films simultaneously exhibited PL from Si-np and Nd3+ demonstrating the efficient energy transfer between Si-np and Nd3+ and the sensitizing effect of Si-np. Upon increasing the Nd concentration from 0.08 to 4.9 at.%, our samples revealed a progressive quenching of the Nd3+ PL which can be correlated with the concomitant increase of disorder within the host matrix as shown by FTIR experiments. Moreover, the presence of Nd-oxide nanocrystals in the highest Nd-doped sample was established by XRD. It is, therefore, suggested that the Nd clustering, as well as disorder, are responsible for the concentration quenching of the PL of Nd3+

Influence of the supersaturation on Si diffusion and growth of Si nanoparticles in silcion-rich silica

International audienceComb-drive micro-electro-mechanical systems oscillators for low temperature experiments Rev. Sci. Instrum. 84, 025003 (2013) Influence of the embedding matrix on optical properties of Ge nanocrystals-based nanocomposite J. Appl. Phys. 113, 053512 (2013) Fabrication of Bi2Te3 nanowire arrays and thermal conductivity measurement by 3ω-scanning thermal microscopy J. Appl. Phys. 113, 054308 (2013) Controlled route to the fabrication of carbon and boron nitride nanoscrolls: A molecular dynamics investigation J. Appl. Phys. 113, 054306 (2013) Electrodynamic control of the nanofiber alignment during electrospinning Appl. Phys. Lett. 102, 053111 (2013) Additional information on J. Appl. Phys. SiO X /SiO 2 multilayers have been prepared using magnetron sputtering and annealed in order to induce the growth of Si nanoparticles in Si-rich sublayers. This sample has undergone several successive annealing treatments and has been analyzed using a laser-assisted tomographic atom probe. This allows the phase separation between Si and SiO 2 and the growth process to be studied at the atomic scale as a function of annealing temperature. Si diffusion coefficient is estimated from the accurate measurement of matrix composition and Si particle size. We demonstrate that the diffusion coefficient in SiO X is supersaturation dependent, leading to a decrease in silicon particle growth kinetics during annealing. In addition, we use our measurements to predict the critical thickness for efficient SiO 2 diffusion barriers

Silicon Nanoscale Materials : From Theoretical Simulations to Photonic Applications

Peer reviewe

New Si-based multilayers for solar cell applications

In this article, we have fabricated and studied a new multilayer structure Si-SiO2/SiNx by reactive magnetron sputtering. The comparison between SiO2 and SiNx host matrices in the optical properties of the multilayers is detailed. Structural analysis was made on the multilayer structures using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The effect of specific annealing treatments on the optical properties is studied and we report a higher visible luminescence with a control over the thermal budget when SiO2 is replaced by the SiNx matrix. The latter seems to be a potential candidate to replace the most sought SiO2 host matrix

High rectifying behavior in Al/Sinanocrystal-embedded SiOxNy/p-Si heterojunctions

5International audienceWe examine the electrical properties of MIS devices made of Al/Si nanocrystal-SiOxNy/p Si. The J V characteristics of the devices present a high rectifying behavior. Temperature measurements show that the forward current is thermally activated following the thermal diffusion model of carriers. At low reverse bias, the current is governed by thermal emission amplified by Poole-Frenkel effect of carriers from defects located in the silicon nanocrystals/SiOxNy interfaces, whereas tunnel conduction in silicon oxynitride matrix dominates at high reverse bias. Devices exhibit a rectification ratio >104 for the current measured at V= 1V. Study reveals that thermal annealing in forming gas (H2/N2) improves electrical properties of the devices due to the passivation of defects

Undoped and Nd3+ doped Si-based single layers and superlattices for photonic applications

International audienceThis work presents the benefits of the superlattice approach to control light emission properties of materials with Si nanoclusters and rare‐earth ions. The undoped and Nd3+‐doped both Si‐rich‐SiO2 single layers and Si‐rich‐SiO2/SiO2 superlattices were grown by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. Their properties were investigated by means of spectroscopic ellipsometry, Fourier infrared transmission spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) methods versus deposition conditions, annealing treatment, and superlattice design (doping and thickness of alternated sublayers). An intense Nd3+ emission from as‐deposited single layers and superlattices was observed. The lower annealing temperature (below 900 °C) of the single layers and superlattices favors the formation of amorphous Si clusters that act as effective sensitizers of rare‐earth ions. The highest Nd3+ PL intensity was achieved after a conventional annealing at about 600–800 °C in nitrogen flow for all samples. Crystallized Si‐nanoclusters were formed in Si‐rich‐SiO2 single layers upon annealing at 1000–1100 °C, whereas their formation in the superlattices occurred at higher temperatures (1100–1150 °C). The mechanism of Nd ions' excitation via energy transfer from Si‐nanoclusters and/or matrix defects, if any, is discussed