Optical properties of scandium-doped aluminum nitride thin film for integrated photonics

Nanxi Li; Yangyang Zhuge; Wing Wai Chung; Xiangxin Gong; Siyu Xu; Yanmei Cao; Minghua Li; Yat Fung Tsang; Yeow Teck Toh; Steven Hou Jang Lee; Huamao Lin; Landobasa Y.M. Tobing; Chong Pei Ho; Sang Hoon Chae; Xianshu Luo; Chengkuo Lee

doi:10.1117/12.3042068

Optical properties of scandium-doped aluminum nitride thin film for integrated photonics

Nanxi Li^*, Yangyang Zhuge, Wing Wai Chung, Xiangxin Gong, Siyu Xu, Yanmei Cao, Minghua Li, Yat Fung Tsang, Yeow Teck Toh, Steven Hou Jang Lee, Huamao Lin, Landobasa Y.M. Tobing, Chong Pei Ho, Sang Hoon Chae, Xianshu Luo, Chengkuo Lee

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

Abstract

Scandium (Sc)-doped aluminum nitride (AlN) has been widely used as a piezoelectric material in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. Recently, it also draws interests in photonics research contributed by its enhanced nonlinear optical property. Here, we report the (n, k) values of Sc-doped AlN thin films under various doping concentrations. These thin films with thickness of around 500 nm are deposited on silica through co-sputtering process. Reduced optical bandgap energies are observed at higher Sc doping concentrations. Furthermore, the top surface roughness of < 1 nm has been obtained through atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurement for the 30% Sc-doped AlN film in a 1 × 1 μm² region. Also, with etching process optimization, the 10% Sc-doped photonic waveguide sidewall angle and roughness have been obtained as >80° and < 5 nm, respectively. Additionally, the patterned microring cavity has been characterized, with estimated intrinsic Q of 5.54×10⁴. The reported results here pave the way towards Sc-doped AlN for integrated photonics, with potential applications in communication, sensing, and quantum computing.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Integrated Optics
Subtitle of host publication	Devices, Materials, and Technologies XXIX
Editors	Sonia M. Garcia-Blanco, Pavel Cheben
Publisher	SPIE
ISBN (Electronic)	9781510684867
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3042068
Publication status	Published - 2025
Externally published	Yes
Event	Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies XXIX 2025 - San Francisco, United States Duration: Jan 27 2025 → Jan 30 2025

Publication series

Name	Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering
Volume	13369
ISSN (Print)	0277-786X
ISSN (Electronic)	1996-756X

Conference

Conference	Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies XXIX 2025
Country/Territory	United States
City	San Francisco
Period	1/27/25 → 1/30/25

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2025 SPIE.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Condensed Matter Physics
Computer Science Applications
Applied Mathematics
Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Keywords

Integrated optics devices
Integrated optics materials

Access to Document

10.1117/12.3042068

Cite this

Li, N., Zhuge, Y., Chung, W. W., Gong, X., Xu, S., Cao, Y., Li, M., Tsang, Y. F., Toh, Y. T., Lee, S. H. J., Lin, H., Tobing, L. Y. M., Ho, C. P., Chae, S. H., Luo, X., & Lee, C. (2025). Optical properties of scandium-doped aluminum nitride thin film for integrated photonics. In S. M. Garcia-Blanco, & P. Cheben (Eds.), Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies XXIX Article 133690L (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 13369). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3042068

@inproceedings{c24b19e76a324f38bb2eae93cd4b04cd,

title = "Optical properties of scandium-doped aluminum nitride thin film for integrated photonics",

abstract = "Scandium (Sc)-doped aluminum nitride (AlN) has been widely used as a piezoelectric material in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. Recently, it also draws interests in photonics research contributed by its enhanced nonlinear optical property. Here, we report the (n, k) values of Sc-doped AlN thin films under various doping concentrations. These thin films with thickness of around 500 nm are deposited on silica through co-sputtering process. Reduced optical bandgap energies are observed at higher Sc doping concentrations. Furthermore, the top surface roughness of < 1 nm has been obtained through atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurement for the 30% Sc-doped AlN film in a 1 × 1 μm2 region. Also, with etching process optimization, the 10% Sc-doped photonic waveguide sidewall angle and roughness have been obtained as >80° and < 5 nm, respectively. Additionally, the patterned microring cavity has been characterized, with estimated intrinsic Q of 5.54×104. The reported results here pave the way towards Sc-doped AlN for integrated photonics, with potential applications in communication, sensing, and quantum computing.",

keywords = "Integrated optics devices, Integrated optics materials",

author = "Nanxi Li and Yangyang Zhuge and Chung, {Wing Wai} and Xiangxin Gong and Siyu Xu and Yanmei Cao and Minghua Li and Tsang, {Yat Fung} and Toh, {Yeow Teck} and Lee, {Steven Hou Jang} and Huamao Lin and Tobing, {Landobasa Y.M.} and Ho, {Chong Pei} and Chae, {Sang Hoon} and Xianshu Luo and Chengkuo Lee",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 SPIE.; Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies XXIX 2025 ; Conference date: 27-01-2025 Through 30-01-2025",

year = "2025",

doi = "10.1117/12.3042068",

language = "English",

series = "Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering",

publisher = "SPIE",

editor = "Garcia-Blanco, {Sonia M.} and Pavel Cheben",

booktitle = "Integrated Optics",

address = "United States",

}

Li, N, Zhuge, Y, Chung, WW, Gong, X, Xu, S, Cao, Y, Li, M, Tsang, YF, Toh, YT, Lee, SHJ, Lin, H, Tobing, LYM, Ho, CP, Chae, SH, Luo, X & Lee, C 2025, Optical properties of scandium-doped aluminum nitride thin film for integrated photonics. in SM Garcia-Blanco & P Cheben (eds), Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies XXIX., 133690L, Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, vol. 13369, SPIE, Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies XXIX 2025, San Francisco, United States, 1/27/25. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3042068

Optical properties of scandium-doped aluminum nitride thin film for integrated photonics. / Li, Nanxi; Zhuge, Yangyang; Chung, Wing Wai et al.
Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies XXIX. ed. / Sonia M. Garcia-Blanco; Pavel Cheben. SPIE, 2025. 133690L (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 13369).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution

TY - GEN

T1 - Optical properties of scandium-doped aluminum nitride thin film for integrated photonics

AU - Li, Nanxi

AU - Zhuge, Yangyang

AU - Chung, Wing Wai

AU - Gong, Xiangxin

AU - Xu, Siyu

AU - Cao, Yanmei

AU - Li, Minghua

AU - Tsang, Yat Fung

AU - Toh, Yeow Teck

AU - Lee, Steven Hou Jang

AU - Lin, Huamao

AU - Tobing, Landobasa Y.M.

AU - Ho, Chong Pei

AU - Chae, Sang Hoon

AU - Luo, Xianshu

AU - Lee, Chengkuo

PY - 2025

Y1 - 2025

N2 - Scandium (Sc)-doped aluminum nitride (AlN) has been widely used as a piezoelectric material in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. Recently, it also draws interests in photonics research contributed by its enhanced nonlinear optical property. Here, we report the (n, k) values of Sc-doped AlN thin films under various doping concentrations. These thin films with thickness of around 500 nm are deposited on silica through co-sputtering process. Reduced optical bandgap energies are observed at higher Sc doping concentrations. Furthermore, the top surface roughness of < 1 nm has been obtained through atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurement for the 30% Sc-doped AlN film in a 1 × 1 μm2 region. Also, with etching process optimization, the 10% Sc-doped photonic waveguide sidewall angle and roughness have been obtained as >80° and < 5 nm, respectively. Additionally, the patterned microring cavity has been characterized, with estimated intrinsic Q of 5.54×104. The reported results here pave the way towards Sc-doped AlN for integrated photonics, with potential applications in communication, sensing, and quantum computing.

AB - Scandium (Sc)-doped aluminum nitride (AlN) has been widely used as a piezoelectric material in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) devices. Recently, it also draws interests in photonics research contributed by its enhanced nonlinear optical property. Here, we report the (n, k) values of Sc-doped AlN thin films under various doping concentrations. These thin films with thickness of around 500 nm are deposited on silica through co-sputtering process. Reduced optical bandgap energies are observed at higher Sc doping concentrations. Furthermore, the top surface roughness of < 1 nm has been obtained through atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurement for the 30% Sc-doped AlN film in a 1 × 1 μm2 region. Also, with etching process optimization, the 10% Sc-doped photonic waveguide sidewall angle and roughness have been obtained as >80° and < 5 nm, respectively. Additionally, the patterned microring cavity has been characterized, with estimated intrinsic Q of 5.54×104. The reported results here pave the way towards Sc-doped AlN for integrated photonics, with potential applications in communication, sensing, and quantum computing.

KW - Integrated optics devices

KW - Integrated optics materials

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DO - 10.1117/12.3042068

M3 - Conference contribution

AN - SCOPUS:105002382919

T3 - Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering

BT - Integrated Optics

A2 - Garcia-Blanco, Sonia M.

A2 - Cheben, Pavel

PB - SPIE

T2 - Integrated Optics: Devices, Materials, and Technologies XXIX 2025

Y2 - 27 January 2025 through 30 January 2025

ER -

Optical properties of scandium-doped aluminum nitride thin film for integrated photonics

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Keywords

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