Imagine a tiny, powerful flashlight that can 'see' the chemical fingerprint of a gas or a tissue sample. Currently, these flashlights are too expensive to make in large numbers. This project finds a way to print them onto standard silicon chips, similar to how computer processors are made, making them cheap and small enough for wearable devices.
Mid-infrared (MIR) lasers are currently too expensive and niche because they rely on costly III/V manufacturing. This prevents their use in mass-market wearable medical devices and widespread industrial edge-sensing.
A technology platform for mass-producing QCLs on 100mm silicon wafers and MIR-PICs using Ge/SiGe-structures for optical routing.
If you are a medical device manufacturer dealing with slow, expensive lab tests for glucose or biomarkers — this project developed a low-cost MIR laser platform that enables non-invasive continuous glucose monitoring and wearable diagnostics.
If you are an industrial process automation firm dealing with the need for real-time chemical monitoring at the edge — this project developed MIR-PICs and QCLs that enable high-volume, low-cost edge-sensing for chemical production.
If you are a diagnostic laboratory dealing with time-consuming infrared spectral histopathology — this project developed a technology that can accelerate analysis time by 100x.
The project replaces costly III/V-technology-based manufacturing with a cost-effective and scalable CMOS-based technology on CEA’s CMOS Pilot Line.
Yes, the project has already achieved the upscale of III-V QCL-epitaxy on 100mm wafers.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not provided, but the technology is being developed through a consortium of 8 partners including 5 SMEs.
It uses Ge/SiGe-structures for waveguides and combiners to handle optical connections, integrating QCLs with Si-based MIR photonics.
The project period runs from 2024-06-01 to 2027-05-31.
The consortium is heavily industry-driven with a 62% industry ratio, consisting of 8 partners across 4 countries. The presence of 5 SMEs suggests a strong focus on commercial agility and specialized application, while the involvement of CEA's CMOS Pilot Line provides the necessary industrial infrastructure for scaling.
Contact TECHNIKON FORSCHUNGS- UND PLANUNGSGESELLSCHAFT MBH in Austria
Contact us to explore licensing opportunities for CMOS-integrated MIR lasers.
