Imagine a tiny chip that acts like a megaphone for light signals traveling through fiber optic cables. Usually, these 'megaphones' are bulky and take up a lot of space. This technology shrinks that equipment onto a small silicon chip without losing any signal strength, allowing more data to flow through smaller spaces.
Current optical amplifiers are too bulky for the scaling needs of mega-datacenters and deep-sea links. Existing integrated options have suffered from high signal loss and large footprints.
A multi-lane Erbium-doped waveguide amplifier (EDWA) on a silicon nitride chip. It includes the development of the AN200 silicon nitride process for commercial foundry fabrication.
If you are a network provider dealing with signal loss in radio frequency over fiber systems — this project developed a multi-lane EDWA that provides high-power amplification on a chip to support denser 5/6G networks.
If you are a datacenter operator dealing with severe space constraints that limit the scaling of fiber channels — this project developed a compact photonic integrated circuit that offers 30 dB net gain to increase capacity within existing footprints.
If you are a cable operator dealing with the need for reliable signal boosting in deep-sea optical repeaters — this project developed an ultra-low loss silicon nitride amplifier that matches the performance of high-end commercial EDFAs.
Based on available project data, specific pricing is not mentioned, but the project aims for cost-effective solutions via wafer-scale manufacturing and foundry services through X-Fab.
Yes, the project is developing foundry compatibility and utilizing a commercial foundry (X-Fab in France) to enable wafer-scale manufacturing.
The project intends to commercialize the technology through a dedicated startup and provide implantation-ready wafers via foundry services.
It is designed as a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) that can be used in line cards for data center infrastructure and coherent LiDAR systems.
The project runs from June 2023 to May 2026, with the goal of reaching TRL6 by the end of the period.
The consortium is well-balanced for commercialization, consisting of 6 partners across 4 countries. With a 50% industry ratio (3 SMEs and 3 Universities), the project bridges the gap between academic research and industrial application, specifically leveraging LIGENTEC FRANCE as the coordinator and X-Fab for foundry services.
Contact LIGENTEC FRANCE regarding the AN200 silicon nitride process and EDWA demonstrators.
Contact us to connect with the MAGNIFY consortium for early access demonstrator studies.
