Shallow Au implantation into silicon-on-insulator slot ring resonator waveguide devices

The optical transmission spectra of a series of micro-ring resonators (MRRs) are studied following the implantation of gold (Au) ions and subsequent thermal annealing at temperatures between 500 [Formula: see text]C and 700 [Formula: see text]C. Whilst we find that this process leads to the ready formation of Au nanoparticles (NPs) partially embedded in the MRR surface, the cavity optical properties, Q-factor and extinction ratio (ER) are severely degraded, for annealing between 500 [Formula: see text]C and 600 [Formula: see text]C, but recover again for annealing at 650 [Formula: see text]C. For an equivalent (control) MRR, which received no Au implantation, thermal annealing alone was also found to degrade the cavity performance.