Imagine a single light bulb that can send dozens of different colored beams at once, instead of needing a separate bulb for every color. This project creates a tiny chip that acts like this multi-color light source to move massive amounts of data. It's like replacing a fleet of small delivery vans with one giant, high-speed train on a single track.
Current datacenter communications struggle with power efficiency and scalability as they move toward 100,000 Petabit/s capacity. Existing laser solutions are too bulky or unstable to meet the demand for millions of O-band wavelength lines in high-heat environments.
Two prototypes of GaAs/SiN-on-SiP comb PICs: one featuring a QD chirped DBR comb for UDWDM/DWDM and another featuring a microcomb for DWDM/CWDM.
If you are a datacenter operator dealing with the massive bandwidth needs of AI clusters — this project developed a chip-scale comb platform that provides high throughput and power efficiency. It allows for scalable WDM solutions that can operate in harsh 85°C environments.
If you are a hardware manufacturer dealing with the need for millions of O-band laser lines — this project developed a unified GaAs/SiN-on-SiP comb PIC. This reduces the complexity of optical transceivers by replacing multiple lasers with a single comb source.
If you are a chip designer dealing with mode stability and noise in optical communications — this project developed a novel fabrication process for CW comb lasers. It integrates QD chirped DBR combs and microcombs onto a single platform.
Datacom capacity is expected to reach 100,000 Petabit/s, requiring 1 billion 100-Gbps equivalent SerDes shipments and several hundred million O-band CW laser lines.
The project specifically addresses the challenge of harsh operating environments, ensuring the platform can function at 85°C.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost-per-unit information is not provided.
The consortium includes the world market leader in InAs/GaAs QD and a startup with the first commercial optical comb, indicating a strong path toward industrial scaling.
Based on available project data, specific IP licensing terms are not detailed, though the project builds on previous H2020 CALADAN and PHOENICS results.
The consortium is highly industry-weighted (67%), consisting of 3 partners across Germany, Switzerland, and Ireland. It combines the market dominance of Innolume (QD lasers) with the agility of Enlightra (commercial microcombs) and the academic rigor of Dublin City University, creating a direct pipeline from research to commercial product.
Contact Innolume GmbH in Germany
Contact us to explore licensing opportunities for QD-comb laser PICs.
