Efficiently producing light from silicon would have a considerable impact on the integration of optoelectronics and micro-electronics. To this end, Si nanophotonics based on the use of silicon nanocrystals (Si-nc) embedded in SiO₂ is a promising technology that has demonstrated the generation of practical levels of luminescence and an acceptable value of optical gain ~100 cm^-1. The challenge is now to design and build a laser cavity based on this technology. In this presentation, we report on the design of a laser architecture using Si-nc embedded in SiO₂ as the optical gain media and a sub-wavelength periodic structure to form the resonant cavity. The dimensions of the structures have been matched to the near-infrared wavelengths (~850 nm) of maximum emission where optical gain has been observed from Si-nc. Both, the front (FM) and rear (RM) mirrors have been fabricated by the implantation of Si ions (50 keV, 2e17 Si⁺/cm²) through a mask, in order to produce a Bragg reflector by the optical index contrast between the implanted and the non implanted zones. Two closely spaced Bragg reflectors are used in the FM structure to allow a narrow bandpass (partial transmission) centered at 850 nm. The implanted structures have been annealed to produce the Si-nc and passivated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images show that the proper dimensions of the structure have been obtained. Characterization of the structures by laser excitation reveals an optical gap in both mirrors between 825 and 870 nm, as per the design parameters. A quality factor Q~95 and a transmission T~0.85 have been measured for the FM. These results strongly suggest that a complete Si-nc based laser cavity can be built to emit coherent light.