As of today, Silicon Photonics is the key technology for a large variety of applications comprising sensing, life sciences, computing and communication in particular in the telecom wavelength range around 1.5 µm. In the mid-infrared range, 2-5 µm, many critical applications, as photonic-based gas and biological sensors present immediate social life impact and great economic significance. However, those use cases can only benefit to a limit extent of this technology because of the lack of fully Si-compatible photonic platform.
LASTSTEP major goal is to deliver group-IV based efficient light sources, stand alone and integrable with the well-established technologies in CMOS-electronics, leading to a fully functional Si-based photonic integrated circuits (PICs). LASTSTEP develops technological competences at the level of ready-to-enter into the fab chain of microelectronics a: Group IV monolithic Si photonic platform.
LASTSTEP’s foundation builds our technology know-how, which defines the present state-of-the-art of the group IV lasers, worldwide. The involved partners are leaders of a CMOS-technology for growth and processing of GeSn direct bandgap alloys in an industrial relevant environment. Together with two well-established SMEs on the market of gas and liquid sensing and world leading PIC design and test-house company, we will develop gas and liquid sensor prototypes based on the fully-group-IV photonic platform.
LASTSTEP’s impact is life quality improvement for the society by making available new applications in MIR sensing. Our vision is to secure Europe an outstanding position concerning development and economic exploitation of Si photonics, thereby anticipating maximal return on investment for the EU society. Above all, however, LASTSTEP will bring the decisive further development of silicon photonics into a technologically mature platform ready for new innovations in the communications, health and safety sector.
