Feature
Silicon Nitride: From Workhorse to Superstar
The once-unassuming material has moved to the forefront of integrated photonics and quantum technology, thanks to a unique combination of properties.
Silicon sample. [S. Huseen / Getty Images]
One of the biggest strengths of silicon nitride (Si3N4) is its broadband transparency: It transmits light from about 405 nm in the visible violet to approximately 2350 nm in the mid-infrared. This far exceeds the limits of silicon (Si), whose transparency cuts off around 1100 nm, enabling Si3N4 to support everything from telecom signals to visible lasers on the same platform.
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