News: Optoelectronics
27 March 2024
EU-funded photonixFAB consortium now open for first prototyping
Pushing ahead with the European Union (EU)-funded photonixFAB initiative, the consortium partners have taken the first step on the path to industrialize the European silicon photonics value chain by providing early access to R&D and small-scale manufacturing through technology partners.
Announced in mid-2023, photonixFAB aims to elevate Europe’s global standing in silicon photonics by championing its value chain. The initiative draws together the continent’s most innovative enterprises within the photonics sector (each supplying their own specific proficiencies), along with respected research establishments.
The customer engagement portal will be pivotal in facilitating early engagement with clients as photonixFAB progresses – enabling initial technology evaluations and consultations to be conducted. It will provide users with a consolidated access point, so that they can explore the possibilities available. Consequently, early product development may begin while the various technologies/services encompassed by photonixFAB are being transferred to an industrial environment over the course of 2024–2026.
Those using the intuitive web-based platform can learn about the various capabilities offered by members of the photonixFAB consortium. After deciding on which technologies/services are needed, they can then be directed to the relevant partners, so that dialog with them can be initiated. Work can hence commence sooner on developing the concept and creating prototypes, as well as moving to small-volume fabrication.
Examples of the capabilities that customers can initiate will include prototyping in relation to silicon nitride (SiN) via LIGENTEC and silicon-on-insulator (SOI) through imec, as well as for indium phosphide (InP) chiplets by working with SMART Photonics. There will also be the packaging expertise that PHIX Photonics Assembly offers for both SiN and SOI processes, plus early technology access for InP micro-transfer printing on SiN/SOI supplied directly by X-FAB and supported by SMART. Process design kits (PDKs) based on Luceda’s electronic design automation (EDA) tool are available through the technology partners.
“Substantial progress is already being witnessed on photonixFAB, with valuable contributions being made by all of the consortium members,” says X-FAB France’s Youssouf Guerfi, project coordinator for photonixFAB. “The customer engagement portal is an important milestone in our ongoing journey with this initiative. Using the portal, customers will be able to find the correct partners and start carrying out the preliminary stages of their photonic projects, to be ready to benefit from full-scale production in the future,” he adds.
“We are seeing a great deal of interest in the European-based silicon photonics value chain that photonixFAB represents,” says Joni Mellin, business line manager for Photonics at X-FAB. “This launch signifies that we are now open for business and projects can get underway, so no time is wasted. It means that we can accelerate engagement activity and customers can get ahead of the game.”
X-FAB leads EU-funded photonixFAB project to industrialize European silicon photonics value chain
