Radiation induced transmission loss in optical materials

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Radiation Physics
• Optical Engineering

Background:

• Optical materials are crucial for various technologies, but their performance can be degraded by radiation.
• Understanding radiation-induced transmission loss is vital for designing resilient optical systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify transmission loss in diverse optical materials after radiation exposure.
• To investigate the wavelength-dependent and dosage-dependent nature of radiation damage.

Main Methods:

• Exposure of window materials, color filter glasses, birefringent crystals, and optical fibers to Cobalt-60 gamma and 10-MeV electron radiation.
• Tabulation of transmission loss across the 400-900 nm wavelength range.

Main Results:

• Significant transmission loss was observed in all tested materials.
• Transmission loss was most pronounced at shorter wavelengths (blue/violet end of the spectrum).
• The rate of transmission loss accelerated at radiation dosages exceeding 10^5 rad (Si) for most materials.

Conclusions:

• Optical materials exhibit varying susceptibility to radiation-induced degradation.
• Shorter wavelengths are more vulnerable to transmission loss from radiation.
• Material selection and dosage considerations are critical for radiation-hardened optical applications.