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Integrated optics concerns mainly the generation, guiding, and detection of light. Especially bio sensing needs systems that incorporate electronic and photonic devices for the detection of harmful substances, like synthetic estrogens or plasticizers. We present recent developments in the integration of Si-based light emitters into a photonic circuit for a planar optical waveguide-based bio detection system. The growing demand for sensitive biochemical sensors in the environmental control, medicine or process technology results in the development of integrated sensors, which should show a high resolution over a wide concentration regime. In our first approach we deal with the integration of a Si-based light emitting device (LED) into a photonic circuit for the detection of harmful biological substances. Light injection into a waveguide is commonly obtained by using an external source coupled to the waveguide, e.g. an optical fiber via total internal reflection. For simplifying this injection process, we built Si-based LEDs consisting of a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structure, in which the oxide film contains group-IV and/or rare earth elements, incorporated by ion-beam synthesis [1, 2]. The Si-based LED exhibits strong electroluminescence, tunable from the visible up to the UV region depending on the rare-earth element (e.g. Gd, Tb, Eu, Nd, Er). Currently, the Si-based LEDs are already available and best efficiencies were achieved by Tb or Er implantation with an external quantum and power efficiency of 16% and 0.3%. LOCOS (local oxidation of silicon) processing and an additional layer of SiON were applied to the device to improve the electrical stability and operation time. Our concept bases upon a Si-based photonic circuit which consists of the integrated LED, working as the light source, a newly fabricated dielectric strip-waveguide below a bioactive layer and a receiver. The dielectric strip-waveguide has a Si3N4 or SiON core, in which the light should be guided, and a cladding of SiO2. The receiver should be a photodiode (e.g. Ge, Si). In this work, we focus on the development and characterization of the dielectric waveguides. For theoretical pre-analysis we are using the finite element method by the FlexPDE software for calculating the mode profiles and resonance frequencies according to the cross sections of the structures. The fabrication of the waveguides was done by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), photolithography and electron beam lithography. Obtained SEM results enabled an improvement of the fabrication recipe of the waveguides by using an additional Al-masking during the reactive ion etching (RIE). Furthermore, a new measurement setup is built up, which enables transmission measurements and the inspection of the beam profiles as well as the damping factors of the structures in dependence on their cross sections. In future, the theoretical calculations are going to be compared with the experimental results of transmission and beam profiling measurements. Moreover, the Si-based LED should be coupled with the waveguide e.g. by Bragg grating. Finally, this lab-on-a-chip system is showing a high potential to become an all-round applicable integrated sensor system, without using any external light sources or relay lenses, which is why it should be easily portable and customizale.

Electrically driven, Si-based light emitters are of great interest for integrated photonic applications, especially for smart biosensors. Among the possible candidates Nd-implanted MOS devices are of special interest because of the emission wavelength of 900 nm of Nd3+ which have the potential to integrate a complete SPR (surface plasmon resonance) measurement in one chip. In this study we explore the influence of the Nd-concentration and the annealing parameters on the electrical and optoelectronic properties. The focus is on the electroluminescence and the electrical properties of the devices which will be compared to those of Er-implanted devices.

In the past, the suitability of Er for Si-based light emission was already investigated in detail. However, much less attention has been paid to Nd with its main electroluminescence (EL) line around 900 nm. In this study we compare the electrical and EL properties of Er- and Nd-implanted metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) structures where the dielectric stack is composed of the implanted SiO 2 layer and a SiON buffer layer. Regarding the EL, the EL spectrum, the EL decay time and the EL efficiency were measured. The electrical characterization comprises current-voltage and capacitance-voltage measurements. Although the EL efficiency of Nd-implanted devices is by a factor of 5 to 10 lower than that of Er-based, the emission wavelength of Nd has some advantages compared to that of Er. Finally, based on these results the suitability of these two types of light emitters for integrated photonic devices is discussed.

The electroluminescence (EL) of Er-implanted SiO 2 layers containing Ge nanocrystals (NCs) was investigated and correlated with microstructural results obtained by transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. In case of EL, and in contrast to the behaviour of Er-doped Si-rich SiO 2 known from the literature it appears that there is an inverse energy transfer from Er to Ge-related oxygen deficiency centres which are located at the surface of the Ge NCs or in the transition region between the NC and the SiO 2 matrix. This is indicated by the increase of the blue-violet, Ge-related EL in presence of Er, although the Ge-related photoluminescence, which was excited by UV wavelengths non-resonant to Er, decreases at the same time. The microstructural results reveal that the maximum increase of the Ge-related EL occurs when the Ge NCs are not amorphized and/or fragmented by the Er implantation but surrounded by an Er shell. Finally a qualitative model is given explaining the different behaviour of Er-implanted SiO 2 containing Ge NCs compared to the case of Si NCs by the different quality of the NC interface to the SiO 2 matrix.

In the past, the suitability of Er for Si-based light emission was already investigated in detail. However, much less attention has been paid to Nd and Ho, which exhibit several emission lines in the near infrared according to their 4f energy level scheme. In this work we measure the electrical and electroluminescence properties of Nd- and Ho-implanted MOS structures and compare them with the corresponding properties of Er-implanted devices. Based on these results their suitability for integrated photonic devices is discussed.

Recently, it was shown that it is possible to obtain efficient electroluminescence (EL) from UV to IR by implanting lanthanides into the oxide layer of metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) structures [1]. The best efficiencies could be achieved on a Tb-implanted light emitter with an external quantum efficiency of 16% and a corresponding power efficiency of 0.3%. With these electrically driven Si-based light emitting devices, also called MOSLEDs, it is possible to build an integrated biosensor for the detection of organic molecules like estrogene, e.g. see Ref. [2]. For this purpose, the intensity and stability of the emitted EL are the most critical properties of the light emitters. Usually, lanthanide implanted MOSLEDs show a quenching of the EL-signal with time, which can be attributed to charge trapping in the oxide layer. In contrast to this normal wear-out phenomenon, Eu-implanted MOSLEDs can show a rise in the EL-signal during the operation time of the device [3]. Due to this anomalous wear-out phenomenon, Eu-implanted MOSLEDs offer the possibility to build a device with an extremely stable EL if the occurring processes can be better understood. For this reason, an intensive investigation was performed on Eu-implanted MOSLEDs exposed to different annealing temperatures and times. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS) were used to trace the growth of Eu / Eu oxide clusters and the diffusion of Eu to the interfaces of the gate oxide layer, respectively. Both of them were induced by the annealing process. Resonant nuclear reaction analysis (rNRA) was used to measure the hydrogen depth profile in the dielectric. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, the EL decay times (τ) and the evolution of the voltage under constant current injection (Vcc) as well as the evolution of the EL spectrum with injected charge (EL-Qinj) were studied with respect to charging and trapping phenomena in the oxide layer in order to reveal details in the occurring wear-out mechanism of the EL. It will be shown, that for certain annealing conditions the EL intensity of Eu-implanted SiO2 layers can increase during constant current injection which is followed by the known EL quenching. In extreme cases this rise may amount up to two orders of magnitude. The EL behaviour will be correlated with the microstructural and electrical properties of the devices. A qualitative model for the anomalous wear-out phenomenon is proposed.

A new silanization method for SiO 2 surfaces has been developed for Si-based light emitters which are intended to serve as light sources in smart biosensors relying on fluorescence analysis. This method uses a special silanization chamber and is based on spraying and spin coating (SSC) in nitrogen atmosphere at room temperature for 10 min. It avoids processes like sonication and the use of certain chemicals being harmful to integrated light emitters. The surface of a SiO 2 layer serving as a passivation layer for the light emitters was hydrolyzed to silanols using an in situ-hybridization chamber and catalyzed with MES (2-( N -morpholino)ethanesulfone acid hydrate) buffer solution. Subsequently, the substrates were silanized with the SSC method using two coupling agents as (3-Aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane (APMS), and N ′-(3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propyl)-diethylenetriamine (triamino-APMS). The structure of the SiO 2 surface, the APMS and the triamino-APMS layers was controlled and characterized by Infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The results show a covalent binding of the silane coupling agents on the surface. Atomic force microscopy was used to investigate the roughness of the surface. The silanized samples exhibit smooth and densely covered surfaces. Finally, the suitability of the SSC method was verified on real light emitters.

In this presentation we will review our recent progresses in the development of Si-based light emitters consisting of a MOS structure with a rare earth implanted SiO2 layer. Depending on the implanted element, namely Gd, Tb and Eu, the devices exhibit strong electroluminescence in the UV, the green and in the red spectral region. It will be shown that the implantation and annealing conditions during the fabrication strongly influence the microstructural, electrical and electro¬luminescence device properties and are of special importance for the efficiency and life time of future devices. In order to improve the stability of the devices, both LOCOS (local oxidation of Si) processing and additional protection layers made of SiON were applied to the devices. The advantages and the shortcomings of these light emitters regarding their efficiency, life time, electrical excitation conditions, cut-off frequencies and miniaturization potential are compared with the needs of smart photonic and biosensor applications. A special approach for utilizing the light emitters for the detection of organic pollutants in fluid media by fluorescence analysis is discussed in more detail. In this approach the light emitter is directly placed beneath the dye-labelled sample exciting the dye whose light emission can be recorded by a suitable external detector.

The electrical stability of rare-earth implanted SiO2 light emitting devices was improved by using a SiON dielectric buffer layer in an indium-tin-oxide/SiON/SiO2:Tb /Si device structure. At the expense of a small increase of the electroluminescence threshold voltage, a large increase of the breakdown electric field from 7.5 to 10.5 MV/cm was obtained in the SiO2:Tb layer, and the maximum injection current density was increased by three orders of magnitude from 4 mA/cm2 to 4 A/cm2 . The operation time of the electroluminescence devices was increased by more than three orders of magnitude at an injection current density of ~4 mA/cm2. Our experimental results are consistent with a theoretical model proposed for designing a stable and efficient thin-film light emitting device containing double-stacked dielectric layers.

Si-based light emitters were fabricated by ion implantation of Eu into a thermally grown oxide layer on Si followed by a thermal treatment and the deposition of a SiON and an indium tin oxide layer. The Eu ions were implanted in such a way that the maximum Eu concentration varies between 0.1 and 6 %. Flash lamp annealing, rapid thermal annealing and furnace annealing at temperatures between 900 and 1100°C were applied in order to activate the Eu-related luminescence centres. The electroluminescence (EL) spectrum of the Eu-implanted SiO2 layers shows a relatively sharp red EL line centered at 618 nm and a broad EL band in the blue-green spectral region which is usually assigned to the light emission of Eu3+ and Eu2+ ions, respectively. In this work we will show that the ratio between blue and red EL shows a complex dependence on the Eu concentration, the annealing time and the annealing temperature, but that some general tendencies can be identified, too. So the blue EL assigned to Eu2+ ions will dominate for high concentrations and high annealing temperatures. The dynamics of Eu2+ and Eu3+ is discussed in the framework of charge injection, charge transport and the EL mechanism which is based on the direct excitation of Eu ions by hot ballistic electrons.

In this work we will present our concept of direct fluorescence analysis using Ge- or rare earth-implanted Si based light emitters for the detection of estrogen in waterish solutions. We will discuss the performance of these light emitters in terms of efficiency, operation lifetime, stability, and operation voltage and show that they are generally suitable for lab-on-chip applications. In addition we report about the composition and fabrication of a bioactive layer on top of the light emitters which has the task to immobilize estrogen selectively from a waterish sample. Finally, the interaction of a Tb-implanted light emitter with a quantum dot dye is investigated.

In this work we investigated the correlation between the EL, the electrical properties and the microstructure of Eu-implanted MOS light emitting devices. The EL spectrum shows a red EL line centered at 618 nm which is usually assigned to Eu3+ and a broad blue-green EL band attributed to Eu2+. It was found that the red EL is favored by low injection currents, low Eu concentrations, lower anneal temperatures and shorter anneal times, especially for FLA. These properties are correlated with microstructural changes triggered by ion implantation and annealing, especially with the formation and ripening of Eu or Eu oxide clusters which strongly quench the red EL. Finally, the influence of Eu agglomerations at the injecting interface on the electrical properties of the light emitter is discussed.

In this presentation we will give a review about our recent progress in the development of rare earth-implanted Si-based light emitters. The devices consist of a MOS structure with a transparent front electrode made of indium tin oxide (ITO) and a SiON protection layer between the oxide and the ITO layer for a strong life time improvement. Gd, Tb and Eu are implanted in the middle of the oxide layer, and depending on the element the devices show strong electroluminescence in the UV, the green and in the red spectral region. The electrical and electroluminescence properties of these devices are discussed and evaluated in respect of possible applications on the field of biosensor technology. Based on the advantages and the shortcomings of these light emitters an approach for their use in biosensor applications is developed. In this approach the light emitters are utilized for the detection of biological substances by fluorescence analysis. There the emitter is directly placed beneath the dye-labelled sample exciting the dye whose light emission can be recorded by a suitable external detector. A very promising application is the detection of organic pollutants, e.g. estrogen, in drinking water.

The strong blue and red electroluminescence from Eu-implanted SiO2 layers were investigated as a function of implantation and annealing conditions. It is shown that the red electroluminescence assigned to Eu3+ ions is favored by low Eu concentrations, low anneal temperatures and short anneal times. Based on a more quantitative analysis of the electroluminescence spectra this preference is explained by a shorter supply of oxygen for higher Eu concentrations and the growth of Europium oxide clusters with increasing anneal temperatures and anneal times. The correlation between electroluminescence and microstructure is supported by transmission electron microscopy investigations and demonstrates that the electroluminescence of Eu-implanted SiO2 layers can serve as a probe for the microstructural development in the active layer of the light emitter.