Mechanisms of Radiation-Induced Damage in Oxides for Nanophotonics

This lecture discusses the mechanisms of radiation-induced damage in oxides, specifically focusing on their impact on nanophotonic devices. The speaker presents research on thin film lithium niobate and silicon-based photonic integrated circuits (PICs), highlighting the effects of total ionizing dose (TID) and displacement damage on these materials. The main goal is to understand how radiation affects the optical properties of oxides, such as refractive index changes, and how this knowledge can be used to improve the reliability and performance of nanophotonic devices.
The speaker also discusses the importance of understanding TID and displacement damage mechanisms in oxides for future photonic applications. The research involves irradiating samples with x-rays or protons to study the effects on optical properties, such as refractive index changes, and using software tools like RSoft to simulate and analyze these effects. The lecture concludes by highlighting ongoing work on thin film lithium niobate, including building an edge-coupled electro-optic setup to characterize UCF-made modulators, which will be used for further radiation studies.