Abstract
A review of silicon photonics for space applications is presented. The benefits and advantages of size, weight, power, and cost (SWaP-C) metrics inherent to silicon photonics are summarized. Motivation for their use in optical communications systems and microwave photonics is addressed. The current state of our understanding of radiation effects in silicon photonics is included in this discussion. Total-ionizing dose, displacement damage, and single-event transient effects are discussed in detail for germanium-integrated photodiodes, silicon waveguides, and Mach-Zehnder modulators. Areas needing further study are suggested.
Highlights
Optical communications have become essential for terrestrial systems for the past several decades [1]
Beyond the numerous advantages integrated silicon photonics brings for SWaP-C benefits for optical communication in space, they can be used to add new capabilities or enhance our conventional radio-frequency (RF) communications systems
With electronics and photonics integrated into the same technology monolithically, new topologies, which would have been infeasible in a multi-chip solution, can be developed
Summary
Optical communications have become essential for terrestrial systems for the past several decades [1] Sectors such as long-haul fiber communications have experienced large increases in data rates over long distances [2]. As these systems continuously push the channel capacity limits, new and more complex technologies have been developed to keep up with the demand for global big-data transfer. One of these technologies is silicon photonics. Photonics can be used in certain systems to aid electronic operations, thereby achieve better performance (e.g., using mixers, signal generators, phase-shifters). We summarize the review and give some suggestions for future research needs in silicon photonics for space systems
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