Martin Zachariah O, Senichev Alexander, Maan Pranshu, Ozlu Mustafa G, Marinova Miroslava, Shang Zhongxia, Lagutchev Alexei, Boltasseva Alexandra, Shalaev Vladimir M
Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
Nanophotonics. 2025 Apr 29;14(11):1783-1793. doi: 10.1515/nanoph-2024-0506. eCollection 2025 Jun.
Silicon nitride (SiN) is a key material for quantum photonics due to its wide transparency window, high refractive index, low optical losses, and semiconductor foundry compatibility. We study the formation of single-photon emitters in SiN films grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), exploring their photophysical properties and dependence on growth conditions. Emitters were observed across the entire range of nitrogen-to-silicon precursor ratios, from silicon-rich to nitrogen-rich conditions, enabled by the low background fluorescence. We demonstrate single-photon emitters in SiN films with a higher refractive index (1.8-1.9) compared to our previous reports (∼1.7). Notably, nitrogen-rich, thinner films yield particularly bright emitters with shorter emission lifetimes, likely due to more efficient annealing. Silicon-rich SiN films exhibit red-shifted emission, suggesting that composition may provide a mechanism for wavelength tuning. These findings establish the feasibility of emitters formation in foundry standard PECVD tools, advancing the scalability and lab-to-fab transition of SiN-based quantum photonic technologies.
氮化硅（SiN）由于其宽透明窗口、高折射率、低光学损耗以及与半导体制造工艺的兼容性，是量子光子学的关键材料。我们研究了通过等离子体增强化学气相沉积（PECVD）生长的SiN薄膜中单光子发射体的形成，探索它们的光物理性质以及对生长条件的依赖性。在从富硅到富氮的整个氮硅前驱体比例范围内都观察到了发射体，这得益于低背景荧光。与我们之前的报道（约1.7）相比，我们展示了具有更高折射率（1.8 - 1.9）的SiN薄膜中的单光子发射体。值得注意的是，富氮的较薄薄膜产生特别明亮的发射体，其发射寿命较短，这可能是由于更有效的退火。富硅的SiN薄膜表现出红移发射，这表明成分可能为波长调谐提供一种机制。这些发现确立了在标准制造PECVD工具中形成发射体的可行性，推动了基于SiN的量子光子技术的可扩展性以及从实验室到制造的转变。
