Imagine shrinking a room-sized laboratory laser system down to the size of a computer chip. Instead of using bulky cables and mirrors, this project puts the light sources and sensors directly onto a silicon nitride base. It's like moving from a giant old desktop computer to a sleek smartphone for high-precision light tools.
Current high-precision light systems for medicine and environment rely on bulky fiber optics and free-space components. This makes them expensive, fragile, and too large for widespread portable use.
An active silicon nitride PIC platform including a Process Design Kit (PDK) and integrated components like III-Nitride amplifiers and detectors.
If you are a medical device manufacturer dealing with bulky, expensive Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) equipment — this project developed an active PIC platform that reduces system size and cost while improving robustness.
If you are a water quality sensor provider dealing with the high cost of deploying complex lab equipment in the field — this project developed integrated sensors to detect water pollution that are more energy efficient and smaller.
If you are a quantum hardware developer dealing with the instability of free-space optics for ion-based computers — this project developed a silicon nitride interposer for visible light that increases system complexity and functionality on-chip.
Based on available project data, the platform replaces fiber-based or free-space optical components with on-chip integration, which allows for a reduction in size and cost of existing systems.
The project is developing a Process Design Kit (PDK) to allow future users to build complex systems, but it is currently in the fabrication and characterization phase with runs SiN1 and SiN2.
Based on available project data, the project is creating a strategy to allow wide accessibility to the platform for photonic designers via a PDK, though specific licensing terms are not listed.
The project uses micro-transfer printing to integrate III-V and III-N lasers, PZT modulators, and Si detectors onto the silicon nitride interposer.
The project period runs from 2022-09-01 to 2027-08-31.
The consortium is well-balanced for technology transfer, featuring 7 partners across 5 countries. With an industry ratio of 43% (including 3 industrial partners and 2 SMEs), there is a strong bridge between the 2 universities and 2 research centers and the commercial market, ensuring the developed PDK is aligned with industrial needs.
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