Silicon Nitride Layer Research Articles

Conversion of 30 W laser light at 1064 nm to 20 W at 2128 nm and comparison of relative power noise

Abstract All current gravitational wave (GW) observatories operate with Nd:YAG lasers with a wavelength of 1064 nm. The sensitivity of future GW observatories could benefit significantly from changing the laser wavelength to approximately 2 μm combined with exchanging the current room temperature test mass mirrors with cryogenically cooled crystalline silicon test masses with mirror coatings from amorphous silicon and amorphous silicon nitride layers. Laser light of the order of ten watts with a low relative power noise would be required. Here we use a laboratory-built degenerate optical parametric oscillator (OPO) to convert the light from a high-power Nd:YAG laser to 2128 nm. With an input power of 30 W, we achieve an output power of 20 W, which corresponds to an external conversion efficiency of approximately 67%. We find that the relative power noise spectrum marginally increases during the wavelength conversion process. Our result is an important step in the development of low-noise light around 2 μm based on existing low-noise Nd:YAG lasers.

INVESTIGATION OF VARIOUS MECHANISMS OF RADIATIVE RECOMBINATION OF SILICON NITRIDE AS AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO BROADENING THE PHOTOLUMINESCENCE SPECTRUM

The development of devices combining optical and electrical functions based on silicon-containing materials is one of the challenges in microelectronics. By plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition synthesis and subsequent annealing, silicon nitride samples with both excess silicon and excess nitrogen were formed. The high concentration of Si-H and N-H bonds was determined by Raman spectroscopy in samples before annealing. By the transmission electron microscopy, it was determined that in addition to silicon nitride, silicon clusters were formed in the sample’s matrix. The photoluminescence spectra changed significantly for both types of samples during annealing in different gas atmospheres. Heat treatment of samples at 1100 °C after synthesis led to the disappearance of the PL spectrum, and after annealing at 800 °C, photoluminescence increases. It is noted that the highest intensity of photoluminescence was detected after annealing in the air atmosphere and the lowest in the nitrogen. The participation of N centers in recombination processes was confirmed by the method of electron paramagnetic resonance. The different mechanisms of particle interaction leading to photoluminescence and charge storage are considered. Thus, the conditions for the synthesis and annealing of silicon nitride layers are selected to obtain controlled luminescent properties in various spectral ranges.

Microscopic and elemental analysis of temperature-induced changes in sulfur/silicon nitride stack-passivated Si surface

Sulfur passivation of different Czochralski Si surfaces along with hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride capping layer has been reported. The effect of capping layer thickness and deposition temperature on sulfur reacted surface has a strong effect on initial passivation quality and its stability. Sulfur passivation on phosphorus diffused n-type textured Czochralski Si wafers capped with a 100 nm stacked hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride layer demonstrates improved stability under heat and light with saturation current density <80 fA/cm2. A stack layer of a low temperature (≤300OC) hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride followed by a high temperature (≈ 450OC) hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride is adopted to achieve good thermally stable surface passivation. Sulfur-passivation with only a low temperature hydrogenated amorphous silicon nitride capping layer exhibits unstable behavior after thermal treatment due to blister/pinhole formation at ≥300OC and possible oxidation of the S-passivated surface. Photoluminescence imaging shows increased defect recombination loss due to disrupted surface passivation after thermal treatment. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies demonstrate that these blister formations were caused by hydrogen effusion from Si–H and N–H bonds dissociation upon thermal processing. Time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy exhibits oxidation of S-reacted surface after thermal treatment that degrades the passivation quality.

Plasmonic and photonic refractive index biosensor based on bound states in the continuum

In this paper, we propose a novel structure for biosensors based on a diffraction grating to diagnose four types of cancers cells. This biosensor is used to detect Hela, Jurkat, PC12, MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cancerous cells, based on their refractive indices. The present configuration consists of a glass layer covered by a gold layer, a grating coated by a silicon nitride layer separating the sensor from sensing medium. Bound states in the continuum (BIC) in a hybrid plasmonic-photonic structure can be achieved at Γ point and off-Γ. The symmetry-protected BIC is formed at the Γ-point of the periodic system due to the strong coupling between plasmonic or photonic modes. On the other hand, the Friedrich-Wintgen (FW) BICs can be readily achieved off-Γ due to the strong coupling between plasmonic and photonic modes. A comparative study is made on the basis of three BICs (plasmonic BIC, photonic BIC, and FW-BIC). Here, numerical analysis based on the Rigorous coupled-wave analysis method (RCWA) is performed to optimize the biosensor sensitivity, by also considering the full width at half maximum (FWHM), detection accuracy (DA), and figure of merit (FoM). The FW BIC-based biosensor for photonic mode exhibits the highest S of 1208nm/RIU, low FWHM of 0.5 nm, the maximum DA of 2 nm −1, and best FoM of 2416 RIU −1.

Broadband and low-loss power splitter with polarization manipulation using subwavelength gratings

A broadband and low-loss power splitter with polarization manipulation using subwavelength gratings (SWGs) is proposed and analyzed, where SWGs are embedded in input taper/output inverse tapered waveguides in the bottom layer to form an SWG-based structure, and a silicon nitride layer is placed above the bottom layer to form a low-index guiding structure. In the bottom layer, the TE mode is cut off as the input strip waveguide is tapered down. In this way, the injected TE mode is evenly coupled to two adjacent output ports with high efficiency by the assistance of SWGs. By contrast, the input TM mode is well supported by the above silicon nitride layer and directly transmitted to the Through port, which is almost not influenced by the bottom structures. Consequently, both power splitting and polarization handling are achieved in the designed device simultaneously. Simulation results show that an extinction ratio (ER) of 32.63 dB (18.56 dB) and insertion loss (IL) of 0.16 dB (0.16 dB) for the TE (TM) mode are obtained at 1.55 µm. The bandwidth is up to 191 nm (1450–1641 nm) for the TE mode and 200 nm (1450–1650 nm) for the TM mode with an ER exceeding 15 dB and IL below 0.3 dB. Furthermore, fabrication tolerances and power distribution with polarization manipulation through the device are also presented.

Superconducting single-photon detector integrated in DBR with optical microconnector for MM or SM fiber

This paper presents the development of a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) integrated into a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) with a design center wavelength of 830 nm and a bandwidth of 200 nm. This SNSPD is made of a superconducting niobium nitride (NbN) thin film that is produced using plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition. The DBR is made of 15 alternating layers of silicon nitride and silicon oxide that are produced through plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The reflection efficiency of the mirror is 90% at a wavelength of 830 nm. For sufficient optical coupling, an optical micro-connector optimized for multimode or single-mode optical fibers with a diameter of 128 μm was formed using two-photon polymerization techniques. The niobium nitride film was deposited onto the DBR surface in-situ in two separate reactors connected by a vacuum transfer. The in-situ technique of deposition of a superconducting niobium nitride film and a DBR has allowed achieving a system detection efficiency of 90% at a wavelength of 830 nm and a dark count rate of 10 s−1 at a temperature of 2.5 K. Additionally, the detector jitter was 50 ps.

Performance investigation of silicon nitride (SiNx) layer doped with twin thin films of gallium and zinc oxide for solar cell

Performance investigation of silicon nitride (SiNx) layer doped with twin thin films of gallium and zinc oxide for solar cell

SiNx/SiO2-Based Fabry-Perot Interferometer on Sapphire for Near-UV Optical Gas Sensing of Formaldehyde in Air.

Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs), comprising foundry-compatible dielectric thin films on sapphire wafer substrates, were investigated for possible use in chemical sensing. Specifically, structures comprising two vertically stacked distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs), with the lower DBR between a sapphire substrate and a silicon-oxide (SiO2) resonator layer and the other DBR on top of this resonator layer, were investigated for operation in the near-ultraviolet (near-UV) range. The DBRs are composed of a stack of nitride-rich silicon-nitride (SiNx) layers for the higher index and SiO2 layers for the lower index. An exemplary application would be formaldehyde detection at sub-ppm concentrations in air, using UV absorption spectroscopy in the 300-360 nm band, while providing spectral selectivity against the main interfering gases, notably NO2 and O3. Although SiNx thin films are conventionally used only for visible and near-infrared optical wavelengths (above 450 nm) because of high absorbance at lower wavelengths, this work shows that nitride-rich SiNx is suitable for near-UV wavelengths. The interplay between spectral absorbance, transmittance and reflectance in a FPI is presented in a comparative study between one FPI design using stoichiometric material (Si3N4) and two designs based on N-rich compositions, SiN1.39 and SiN1.49. Spectral measurements confirm that if the design accounts for phase penetration depth, sufficient performance can be achieved with the SiN1.49-based FPI design for gas absorption spectroscopy in near-UV, with peak transmission at 330 nm of 64%, a free spectral range (FSR) of 20 nm and a full-width half-magnitude spectral resolution (FWHM) of 2 nm.

Silicon nitride stoichiometry tuning for visible photonic integrated components

In integrated photonics, silicon nitride-based devices operating in the visible range of light may experience auto-fluorescence, an undesired effect that can interfere with the propagating signal. In this article, a reduction in auto-fluorescence has been obtained by studying stoichiometric and silicon-rich silicon nitride, subjected to different post-thermal annealings in different atmospheres. Stoichiometric silicon nitride treated with rapid thermal annealing at 1100 °C in an argon atmosphere reduces the photoluminescence intensity of the material by 95%. Silicon-rich nitride shows a more stable photoluminescence response to different annealings and atmospheres than the stoichiometric. Compared to the stoichiometric material, the emission peaks experienced by the silicon-rich silicon nitride are red shifted between 140 and 190 nm, and the refractive index value is increased by 7% at 633 nm. Also, the interface effects have been studied, showing a remarkable contribution when the annealing is performed in an argon atmosphere, while no contribution from these effects is observed in a nitrogen atmosphere. Finally, taking advantage of the refractive index variation between nitrides, a vertical directional coupler using two asymmetric waveguides, one of each type of silicon nitride, has been designed and simulated, obtaining a coupling length of 9.8 μm with a coupling power of 95.8%, demonstrating the 3D integration capabilities of combining silicon nitride layers of variable composition.

Photonic Metamaterial‐Inspired Polarization Manipulating Devices on Etchless Thin Film Lithium Niobate Platform

AbstractPhotonic metamaterials interact with light at the micro–nano scale, enabling unprecedented optical manipulation capabilities, which play a key role in nonlinear optics, spin optics, negative index, and zero index materials. Recently, thin‐film lithium niobate on insulator (LNOI) has emerged as a promising platform for integrated photonics due to its unique material properties, including an excellent electro–optic effect, wide transparency window, and low waveguide losses. Metamaterial structures are promising for constructing novel integrated photonic circuit building blocks on LNOI as they can provide advantageous circuit functionality. In this work, as a proof of concept, high‐performance polarization manipulating devices including polarization splitter rotator (PSR), polarization rotator (PR), and polarizer are demonstrated using photonic metamaterials on the etchless LNOI platform by introducing a silicon nitride layer on the top of LNOI wafer as the loading material. In this way, full advantage of lithium niobate (LN) can be taken to achieve various high‐performance integrated photonic devices, while avoiding the etching of LN and simplifying the fabrication process greatly, which can bring bright prospects for achieving large‐scale lithium niobate integrated photonic circuits.

Angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy intensity modeling of SiNx ultrathin layer grown on Si (100) and Si (111) substrates by N2 plasma treatment

In this work, we investigate the silicon nitridation process using a N2 plasma Glow Discharge Source (GDS) in an ultra-high vacuum chamber. In situ Angle Resolved X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (ARXPS) measurements were performed to determine various chemical environments of the surface species. The main goals of this study are determination of the film chemical composition, to estimate its thickness and identify various phenomena taking place during the nitridation process under different experimental conditions. To achieve these objectives, we developed an ARXPS intensity model for an ultrathin SiNx overlayer. Based on the ARXPS results, which indicate that the silicon nitride film is not homogenous, we adopted a bi-layer model composed of two SixNyOz layers with varying thickness and chemical composition. The model is built from analysis of photoelectron intensities, considering a comparison between experimental and theoretical data. This bi-layer model revealed that the silicon nitride layer consists of a surface layer composed of approximately equal amounts of silicon and nitrogen (50% each), and an interfacial layer containing varying amounts of oxygen depending on experimental parameters. The presence of oxygen is due to residual air contamination in the vacuum chamber and/or to Si native oxide. The estimated thickness of silicon nitride film is less than 9 nm, depending on the nitridation time and temperature.The model developed in this work enabled us to study the effects of initial surface state (as received or chemically cleaned), Si substrate crystallographic orientation (such as (100) and (111)), and the nitridation temperature (room temperature and 500°C). The diffusing species (N+, N2+, O+), which play a crucial role during nitridation, were found to be influenced by temperature, treatment time, and substrate orientation. The diffusion phenomenon competed with other processes such as NO desorption, leading to a significant impact on formation of the SiNx film. Furthermore, we compared the thickness obtained from the ARXPS model using cross-sectional High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM) images. Additional Low-Energy Electron Diffraction (LEED) measurements indicated that the SiNx film was amorphous.

A Review of Nanostructures in Electrowetting-on-dielectric Systems: From Nanostructured Dielectric Layers to Nanofluids

Abstract: The extensive interest in electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) as a key in advancing the efficiency and controllability of fluid-based microelectromechanical and actuator systems has resulted in a deluge of technological research, especially in the area of microfluidics, liquid lenses, and fluid-based lab-on-chips. More recently, the integration of nanostructures into EWOD-driven devices has shown promising improvement in these devices’ performance, design, and miniaturization. Due to the exceptional properties, availability, versatility, and tunability of nanostructures, they are being utilized as components of EWOD systems for various applications. Utilization ranges from fabricating nanodimensional dielectric layers to incorporating nanoparticles in fluid droplets. With the current trend in improving the performance and functionality of EWOD-driven devices at low voltage operations, it is timely to revisit the fundamental principle of EWOD phenomena and how it is extended experimentally using nanostructures. In this paper, we present the different nanostructures investigated as dielectric materials in various EWOD experiments focusing on metal oxide and silicon nitride layers. Notes on the structure of these dielectric layers are also presented. Furthermore, various EWOD experiments employing nanofluid droplets are also described. This paper provides a clear picture of nanostructures’ diverse impact on the advancement of EWOD technology. The insights presented in this paper may also serve as a guidepost for future exploration and development of the role of nanostructures in EWOD-driven devices.

Reducing Time and Costs of FT-IR Studies of the Effect of SiNx, Dopants, and Emitter on Hydrogen Species in Si Wafers and Solar Cell Structures

Accurately measuring the hydrogen content in silicon (Si) solar cells is essential due to its connection to surface degradation and light and elevated temperature induced degradation (LeTID). Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy provides a quantitative technique for determining the content of various hydrogen species in Si wafers that have undergone various process steps. In this study, we examine both the effect of a silicon nitride (SiNx:H) layer during FT-IR spectroscopic measurements on hydrogen species, as well as the impact of an emitter present during firing on the amount of hydrogen introduced into Si wafers. We find that the presence of SiNx:H during measurements has negligible effects on the measured hydrogen species, potentially simplifying the preparation steps for FT-IR. For the emitter investigation we analyze boron (B)- and gallium (Ga)-doped p-type wafers to detect H-B, H-Ga, Oi-H2, and H2. We observe that hydrogen species initially present in B- and Ga-doped Si wafers differ significantly. Only H-Ga is detected in Ga-doped wafers, while H-B, Oi-H2, and H2 signals are measured in B-doped wafers. Moreover, we cannot confirm an increased release of H through the emitter into the bulk during the firing process. Finally, we conduct measurements at different temperatures and confirm that cryogenic temperatures are more effective for detecting H-B and H2 with concentrations in the 1014 cm-3 range. Nevertheless, useful spectra can still be obtained at liquid nitrogen (N2) temperatures.

Mitigating WL-to-WL Disturbance in Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM) through Adopted Spherical Shallow Trench Isolation with Silicon Nitride Layer in the Buried Channel Array Transistor (BCAT)

The Pass Gate Effect (PGE), often referred to as adjacent cell interference, presents a significant challenge in dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). In this study, we investigate the impact of PGE and propose innovative solutions to address this issue in DRAM technology, employing 10 nm node technology with buried channel array transistors. To evaluate the efficacy of our proposals, we utilized SILVACO for simulating various DRAM configurations. Our approach centers on two key structural optimizations: the introduction of a spherical Shallow Trench Isolation (STI) and the incorporation of a silicon nitride (Si3N4) layer within the spherical STI structure. These optimizations were meticulously designed to mitigate the PGE by considering several factors that are highly influential in its manifestation. To validate our approach, we conducted comprehensive simulations, comparing the PGE factors of typical DRAM structures with those of our proposed configurations. The results of our analysis strongly support the effectiveness of our proposed structural enhancements in alleviating the PGE when contrasted with conventional DRAM structures. Remarkably, our optimizations achieved a remarkable 82.4% reduction in the PGE, marking a significant breakthrough in the field of DRAM technology. By addressing the PGE challenge and substantially reducing its impact, our research contributes to the advancement of DRAM technology, offering practical solutions to enhance data integrity and reliability in the era of 10 nm node DRAM.

Creation of color centers in diamond by recoil implantation through dielectric films

The need of near-surface color centers in diamond for quantum technologies motivates the controlled doping of specific extrinsic impurities into the crystal lattice. Recent experiments have shown that this can be achieved by momentum transfer from a surface precursor via ion implantation, an approach known as “recoil implantation.” Here, we extend this technique to incorporate dielectric precursors for creating nitrogen-vacancy (NV) and silicon-vacancy (SiV) centers in diamond. Specifically, we demonstrate that gallium focused-ion-beam exposure to a thin layer of silicon nitride or silicon dioxide on the diamond surface results in the introduction of both extrinsic impurities and carbon vacancies. These defects subsequently give rise to near-surface NV and SiV centers with desirable properties after annealing.

Advanced Terahertz Refractive Sensing And Fingerprint Recognition Through Metasurface-Excited Surface Waves.

High-sensitive metasurface-based sensors are essential for effective substance detection and insightful bio-interaction studies, which compress light in subwavelength volumes to enhance light-matter interactions. However, current methods to improve sensing performance always focus on optimizing near-field response of individual meta-atom, and fingerprint recognition for bio-substances necessitates several pixelated metasurfaces to establish a quasi-continuous spectrum. Here, a novel sensing strategy is proposed to achieve Terahertz (THz) refractive sensing, and fingerprint recognition based on surface waves (SWs). Leveraging the long-range transmission, strong confinement, and interface sensitivity of SWs, a metasurface-supporting SWs excitation and propagation is experimentally verified to achieve sensing integrations. Through wide-band information collection of SWs, the proposed sensor not only facilitates refractive sensing up to 215.5°/RIU, but also enables the simultaneous resolution of multiple fingerprint information within a continuous spectrum. By covering 5µm thickness of polyimide, quartz and silicon nitride layers, the maximum phase change of 91.1°, 101.8°, and 126.4° is experimentally obtained within THz band, respectively. Thus, this strategy broadens the research scope of metasurface-excited SWs and introduces a novel paradigm for ultrasensitive sensing functions.

Carbon-stabilized porous silicon biosensor for the ultrasensitive label-free electrochemical detection of bacterial RNA gene fragments

Herein, we report a carbon-stabilized porous silicon (pSi)-based electrochemical biosensing platform for the label- and amplification-free detection of bacterial 16S rRNA gene fragments that facilitates pan-bacterial detection. The sensing approach combines thermally carbonized pSi (THCpSi) structures as novel porous electrochemical transducers, and a highly sensitive sensing mechanism based on partial blockage of the pores caused by hybridization of 16S rRNA gene fragment to the DNA capture probe immobilized within the pores. Pore blockage upon RNA hybridization was quantified via differential pulse voltammetry as a decrease in the oxidation current of the redox pair ([Fe(CN)6]3/4−) added to the measuring solution. The use of carbon-stabilized pSi to build the biosensor has additional benefits: it favors high density of the immobilized bioreceptors and a large electroactive surface area, both further enhancing the overall sensitivity of the biosensor. The easily adjustable pSi morphology is key to design diagnostic tools fit-for-purpose. By tailoring the pore diameter, pore blockage upon analyte hybridization can be maximized, thus enhancing sensitivity. By tailoring film thickness, the surface area can be adjusted to optimize the amount of immobilized bioreceptors and the electroactive surface area. An excellent sensing performance was achieved by building the biosensor on THCpSi structures featuring a 27 nm pore diameter and a 1.6 μm film thickness, whose external surface was coated with a thin layer of silicon nitride (Si3N4), the latter contributing to maximize the pore blockage. The biosensor achieved a limit of detection of 2.3 pM when tested in 5% fetal bovine serum.

A zero-gap silicon membrane with defined pore size and porosity for alkaline electrolysis.

Porous separators are a key component in alkaline water electrolyzers and are significant sources of overpotential. In this paper, porous silicon separators were fabricated by etching precise arrays of cylindrical pores into silicon substrates through lithography. Chemical stability of the silicon-based separators is ensured through the deposition of a silicon nitride layer. Platinum or nickel were vapor-deposited directly on the faces of the separator to complete a zero-gap configuration. Separator porosity (ε) was varied by changing the pore diameter and the pore spacing. These well-controlled porous silicon zero gap electrodes (PSi-ZGEs) were used to study the trade-off between separator resistance and gas-crossover at different porosities. It was found that separator resistances comparable to commercially used Zirfon UTP 500 were achieved at much lower ε. Gas crossover remained within the explosive limits for ε ≤ 0.15%. The PSi-ZGEs achieved stable performance at 100 mA cm-2 for 24 hours without significant surface damage in the alkaline electrolyte. In the broad perspective, the current work can pave the path for the development of ionomer-free separators for alkaline water electrolysis which rely on the separator geometry to limit gas-crossover.

The Impact of Surface Passivation on Kapitza Resistance at the Interface Between a Semiconductor and Liquid Nitrogen

AbstractCooling electronic devices to cryogenic temperatures (&lt; 77 K) is crucial in various scientific and engineering domains. Efficient cooling involves the removal of heat generated from these devices through thermal contact with either a liquid cryogen or a dry cryostat cold stage. However, as these devices cool, thermal boundary resistance, also known as Kapitza resistance, hinders the heat flow across thermal interfaces, resulting in elevated device temperatures. In transistors, the presence of passivation layers like silicon nitride (SiN) introduces additional interfaces that further impede heat dissipation. This paper investigates the impact of passivation layer thickness on Kapitza resistance at the interface between a solid device and liquid nitrogen. The Kapitza resistance is measured using a capacitance thermometer that has been passivated with SiN layers ranging from 0 to 240 nm. We observe that Kapitza resistance increases with increasing passivation thickness.

Nano Conducting Particles Based Antireflection Coating for Silicon Solar Cells

An attempt has been made to investigate the effect of antireflection coating containing aluminum nanoparticles over the layer of silicon nitride on silicon surface. In this regard numerical calculations have been performed to obtain reflectance for varying radius (i.e., 50 nm, 62.5 nm and 70 nm) as well as periods (i.e., 100 nm, 110 nm 125 nm, 250 nm and 300 nm) of Al-NCPs using transfer matrix method (TMM). The refractive index of nanoparticles under consideration is wavelength dependent. Inclusion of metal nanoparticles in the antireflection coating has reduced reflectance significantly. Calculated reflectance has been used as an external file in PC1D simulator to study the performance of silicon solar cells.