TeraSlice · Project

Ultra-Fast Signal Capture Chips That Read Data 100x Beyond Today's Limits

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Imagine trying to record a conversation, but the people are talking so fast your microphone simply can't keep up. That's the problem with today's electronics — digital processors are incredibly powerful, but the "ears" that capture real-world signals (called analog-to-digital converters) max out long before the processor does. TeraSlice built tiny photonic chips that split an ultra-fast signal into many slower slices using light, so each slice can be digitized separately and then reassembled — like having dozens of listeners each catching one word and piecing the sentence back together. This could unlock signal capture at bandwidths above 300 GHz, heading toward 1 THz.

By the numbers

300 GHz

Demonstrated analog-to-digital conversion bandwidth

1 THz

Potential scalability target for signal bandwidth

EUR 3,361,735

EU funding for development

Consortium partners across 4 countries

SME partners in the consortium

Total project deliverables

The business problem

What needed solving

Today's electronics can process data at incredible speeds, but the front-end converters that capture real-world analog signals cannot keep up — they hit a hard bandwidth wall well below what modern processors could handle. This bottleneck blocks progress in next-generation radar, beyond-5G wireless, and high-resolution spectroscopy, where signals span hundreds of gigahertz that no conventional converter can digitize.

The solution

What was built

The team built and demonstrated a second-generation photonic analog-to-digital converter and fabricated optimized SiN photonic microchips with microresonators for frequency comb generation. These chip-scale components split ultra-fast signals into parallel spectral slices for digitization at bandwidths exceeding 300 GHz.

Audience

Who needs this

Telecom equipment manufacturers developing 6G and beyond-5G base stationsDefense contractors building next-generation radar and electronic warfare systemsScientific instrument makers specializing in EPR spectroscopySemiconductor companies designing high-speed data acquisition systemsTest and measurement equipment manufacturers

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Telecommunications & 5G/6G Infrastructure

enterprise

Target: Telecom equipment manufacturers and mobile network operators

If you are a telecom equipment maker dealing with the bandwidth ceiling of current analog-to-digital converters as you push into 6G research — this project developed photonic chip-based ADCs capable of capturing signals beyond 300 GHz. That means your next-generation base stations and receivers could process ultra-wideband wireless signals that today's electronics simply cannot digitize, giving you a competitive edge in beyond-5G spectrum.

Defense & Radar Systems

enterprise

Target: Radar and electronic warfare system integrators

If you are a defense electronics company struggling with radar resolution limits imposed by current ADC bandwidth — TeraSlice demonstrated a photonic approach to analog-to-digital conversion scalable beyond 300 GHz toward 1 THz. This means dramatically higher-resolution radar imaging and wider instantaneous bandwidth for electronic surveillance, using chip-scale components that could integrate into existing radar platforms.

Medical Diagnostics & Spectroscopy

mid-size

Target: Analytical instrument makers and medical device companies

If you are an instrument manufacturer looking to improve electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy for medical diagnostics — this project built second-generation ADC demonstrators and fabricated optimized photonic microchips specifically targeting spectroscopy applications. Faster signal acquisition at bandwidths above 300 GHz could mean higher-resolution molecular imaging and faster diagnostic scans.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to license or integrate this ADC technology?

Pricing is not disclosed in the project data. The consortium includes 3 SMEs and envisions a start-up for exploitation of results, suggesting licensing or direct product sales are planned routes. Contact the coordinator through SciTransfer for commercial terms.

Can this technology work at industrial scale or is it still lab-only?

The project demonstrated a second-generation ADC and fabricated optimized photonic microchips with SiN microresonators. Special focus was placed on chip-scale integration concepts — a key requirement for any real-world application. However, as a FET Open research project, volume manufacturing readiness is not yet established.

What is the IP situation — can we license this?

The project was funded under Horizon 2020 RIA with EUR 3,361,735, meaning IP is owned by the consortium partners. With 3 industrial partners including 3 SMEs, and explicit plans for a start-up, there are likely defined exploitation routes. Licensing discussions should go through the coordinator at EPFL.

How does this compare to existing high-speed ADC solutions on the market?

Conventional electronic ADCs hit bandwidth limits well below 100 GHz. TeraSlice's photonic spectral slicing approach demonstrated conversion at bandwidths exceeding 300 GHz with potential scalability beyond 1 THz — a fundamentally different architecture that sidesteps electronic bottlenecks.

What concrete hardware was actually built and tested?

Based on deliverable reports, the team fabricated photonic microchips with SiN microresonators for frequency comb generation and demonstrated a second-generation ADC system. These are physical chip-scale components, not just simulations.

Which industries would benefit first from this technology?

The project explicitly targets radar systems, wireless communications beyond 5G, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy for medical diagnostics. Defense and telecom are likely the earliest adopters given their existing need for wideband signal capture.

Consortium

Who built it

The TeraSlice consortium is compact but well-balanced: 6 partners from 4 countries (Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy) with a 50-50 split between academia and industry. The coordinator is EPFL, one of Europe's top technical universities. Notably, 3 of the 6 partners are SMEs, which signals genuine commercial interest — these are not just research labs burning grant money. The project was funded at EUR 3,361,735 under FET Open, a scheme reserved for high-risk, high-reward breakthroughs. The explicit mention of a planned start-up for exploitation suggests the industrial partners are positioning for commercialization, not just publications.

ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNECoordinator · CH
KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIEparticipant · DE
THALESparticipant · FR
CONSORZIO NAZIONALE INTERUNIVERSITARIO PER LE TELECOMUNICAZIONIparticipant · IT
LIGENTEC SAparticipant · CH
VANGUARD AUTOMATION GMBHparticipant · DE

How to reach the team

EPFL (Lausanne, Switzerland) — contact via SciTransfer for introduction to the project coordinator

Order a report on this consortium See ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing or integration of TeraSlice's photonic ADC technology? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the research team and help structure the conversation around your specific use case.

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