Radiation Hardness of High-Q Silicon Nitride Microresonators for Space Compatible Integrated Optics

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that high-Q silicon nitride microresonators used in integrated optics are resistant to proton radiation, making them suitable for space applications where radiation exposure is a concern.

Contribution

It provides the first assessment of proton radiation effects on silicon nitride microresonators, showing their robustness for space-compatible integrated optical devices.

Findings

Proton irradiation does not increase optical losses in silicon nitride microresonators.

Silicon nitride microresonators maintain high quality factors after radiation exposure.

The results support their use in space-based optical systems.

Abstract

Integrated optics has distinct advantages for applications in space because it integrates many elements onto a monolithic, robust chip. As the development of different building blocks for integrated optics advances, it is of interest to answer the important question of their resistance with respect to ionizing radiation. Here we investigate effects of proton radiation on high-Q silicon nitride microresonators formed by a waveguide ring. We show that the irradiation with high-energy protons has no lasting effect on the linear optical losses of the microresonators.