Integrated photonic devices with silicon oxycarbide

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In this paper, we report on the potential of silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) for integrated photonic applications. SiOC films are developed by reactive radio frequency magnetron sputtering from a silicon carbide (SiC) target in the presence of argon and oxygen gases. The optical properties of the developed SiOC film are characterized with spectroscopic ellispometry over a broad wavelength range 300-1600 nm. The refractive index n of the SiOC film is 2.2 at wavelength λ = 1550 nm and the extinction coefficient k is estimated to be less than 10^-4 in the near-infrared region above 600 nm. The topography of SiOC films is studied with AFM showing very smooth surface, with rms roughness of 0.24 nm. SiOC film with refractive index n = 2.2 is then patterned by direct laser-writing lithography and etched with reactive ion etching to realize high contrast SiOC core optical waveguides for integrated photonics applications. The waveguide losses are characterized at telecommunication wavelength λ = 1550 nm. As an example of photonic integrated devices integrating SiOC films, a microring resonator is fabricated where a SiOC layer is used as a coating material for the core of a silicon oxynitride (SiON) waveguide.