ERI: Monolithically Integrated Silicon Carbide Photonic Sensors for Extreme Environments

Nontechnical Description Photonic sensors, which use light to detect environmental changes, are promising tools for applications in extreme environments such as deep-earth drilling, deep-sea exploration, nuclear reactors and outer space. However, current technologies based on silica fibers or silicon photonics often degrade under high temperatures or in corrosive conditions, limiting their performance and reliability. This Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) project aims to develop a new class of photonic sensors made from amorphous silicon carbide (a:SiC), a material that is both chemically resistant and stable at high temperatures. By integrating temperature-sensitive materials with durable a:SiC photonic structures, this project seeks to overcome the limitations of silica and silicon, while also improving sensing resolution in high temperatures. The outcomes of this project could enable precise sensing technologies for energy, space, and defense applications. In parallel, the project’s educational efforts will broaden participation of limited-income and first-generation students from Idaho and the Mountain-West region in the semiconductor field and create a pipeline for the regional and national workforce needs. The outreach programs designed to build interest in STEM will engage middle and high school students through hands-on activities and sensor design challenges. Technical Description The overarching goal of this project is to develop and evaluate photonic sensors on monolithically integrated a:SiC platforms. This will be achieved through two research tasks: first, evaluating the thermal stability of ring resonators fabricated in a:SiC-on-insulator; and second, demonstrating high-temperature sensing by integrating germanium telluride (GeTe), a phase-change material that shifts optical properties with temperature, onto a:SiC ring resonators. The project will use a combination of fabrication, optical characterization and thermal testing to assess sensor reliability and performance. The results will advance knowledge in a:SiC device fabrication, functional material integration, and inform the design of future multi-functional sensors for extreme environments. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.