Ultralow 0.034 dB/m loss wafer-scale integrated photonics realizing 720 million Q and 380 μW threshold Brillouin lasing

We demonstrate 0.034 dB/m loss waveguides in a 200mm wafer-scale, silicon nitride (Si3N4) CMOS-foundry-compatible integration platform. We fabricate resonators that measure up to a 720 million intrinsic Q resonator at 1615 nm wavelength with a 258 kHz intrinsic linewidth. This resonator is used to realize a Brillouin laser with an energy-efficient 380 mu W threshold power. The performance is achieved by reducing scattering losses through a combination of single-mode TM waveguide design and an etched blanket-layer low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) 80 nm Si3N4 waveguide core combined with thermal oxide lower and tetraethoxysilane plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (TEOS-PECVD) upper oxide cladding. This level of performance will enable photon preservation and energy-efficient generation of the spectrally pure light needed for photonic integration of a wide range of future precision scientific applications, including quantum, precision metrology, and optical atomic clocks. (C) 2022 Optica Publishing Group

Automated summary

In this study, low-loss waveguides were demonstrated in a silicon nitride (Si3N4) CMOS-foundry-compatible integration platform. High-quality factor resonators and energy-efficient Brillouin lasers were achieved through optimizing the single-mode TM waveguide design and specific deposition processes. This research provides photon preservation and energy-efficient light sources for future precision scientific applications.