Integrated Photonics for Defense
Modern defense systems demand unprecedented levels of performance, precision, and reliability, often in the harshest and most unpredictable environments. From secure communication to radar, to optical sensing and guidance, integrated photonics for defense can help subsystems be lighter, faster, and more power-efficient than before.
Integrated Photonics and Defense Microsystems
At LioniX International, we combine Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs), MEMS, and microfluidic technologies to enable compact, high-performance microsystems tailored to the requirements of defense and aerospace customers. Our integrated solutions deliver enhanced functionality, reduced system complexity, and long-term reliability in mission-critical applications. With a vertically integrated device development suite, we ensure that our partners realize their ideas with full control over specs, processes, and IP.
The Challenge in Modern Defense Systems
Defense and security organizations face increasing pressure to advance technological capability while minimizing Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C). Systems must perform across wide temperature and radiation ranges, withstand vibration and shock, and operate autonomously in constrained environments. At the core of this performance is long-range connectivity. In UAVs, satellites, and field-deployed equipment, there is a strict emphasis on fast, reliable, and secure communications to and from the devices.
Traditional optical or electronic subsystems struggle to meet these combined demands. Integrated photonics, on the other hand, provide the platform for miniaturized, rugged, and energy-efficient sensing, processing, encrypting, and communication solutions, which are critical for next-generation defense capabilities.
Integrated Photonics for Defense Applications
LioniX International’s proprietary TriPleX® silicon nitride technology provides power-efficient optical performance across the visible to the mid-infrared spectrum (405–2350 nm). This versatility supports a wide range of defense applications, including:
- Radar and LiDAR: High-frequency signal processing and beamforming on-chip for improved accuracy and reduced latency.
- Electronic Warfare (EW): Wideband filtering and signal analysis using microwave photonic architectures.
Reconfigurable (DE)MUX Filter for Flexible Frequency Allocation
- Secure Optical Communications: Quantum-safe data transmission over integrated photonic links with minimal crosstalk and low power consumption.
- Sensing and Imaging: Integrated optical sensors for temperature, pressure, vibration, and chemical or gas detection in challenging operational environments.
- Free Space Optical Communications: Integrated optical functions on chip to minimize the form factor of traditional bulk optics and enable novel devices.
- Photonic Gyroscope: On-chip gyroscopes to replace fiber optic gyroscopes, with increased ruggedness and long-term reliability.
Applications in the Defense Domain
Our technologies are used across a wide range of defense and dual-use systems, including:
- Advanced (SAR) radar and communication platforms
- Optical beamforming for antenna arrays
- Secure, quantum-ready optical communication links
- Hyperspectral and infrared imaging for surveillance and target identification
- UAV and satellite payloads requiring low weight and power consumption
A low-loss spiral waveguide fabricated using TriPleX® silicon nitride.
Proven Technology and Collaboration
With a long track record in European and international R&D programs, LioniX International has built strong partnerships with defense system integrators & OEMs, research institutes, and system developers.
Our in-house fabrication facilities and multidisciplinary expertise ensure strict process control, flexibility, and confidentiality throughout development, ranging from concept to fully packaged module, as well as the possibility of scaling up production volumes.