Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SPRINTER (Low-coSt and energy-efficient hybrid Photonic integrated circuits for fibeR-optic, free-space optIcal and mmWave commuNication systems supporting Time critical networking in industrial EnviRonments)
Reporting period: 2024-03-01 to 2025-02-28
Industries of the future will integrate computation, communication, and physical systems, enabling seamless Human-to-Machine (H2M) and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) interaction across domains such as automation, logistics, and maintenance. A key enabler is a robust physical infrastructure providing ubiquitous, high-performance connectivity across diverse and often dynamic environments.
To support this, industrial networks must meet several essential requirements:
- Scalability and throughput: The massive deployment of diverse sensors demands networks capable of Gbit/s data rates.
- Time-critical performance: Closed-loop control systems require reliable, bounded-latency communication between controllers and field devices.
- Flexibility: Devices should be freely positioned, overcoming the limitations of wired connectivity.
- Hybrid networking: Wireless and wired technologies must be harmonized to support deterministic, high-throughput operation.
- Cost and energy efficiency: Solutions must be economically viable and low power to enable widespread adoption.
Launched in September 2022 under Horizon Europe, SPRINTER is an Innovation Action focused on advancing industrial networking through novel optical technologies. The project combines cutting-edge photonic integration platforms to develop energy-efficient, low-cost, and high-performance optical transceivers and switches tailored to Industry 4.0 requirements. SPRINTER’s key innovations include:
- 200 Gb/s transceivers for high-capacity industrial data links.
- 10 Gb/s wavelength-tunable transceivers, enabling all-optical switching with guaranteed latency and reliability for time-sensitive communication.
- Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs), optimized for space-division multiplexing, to reduce congestion and data delays.
- To address the dynamic nature of industrial environments, SPRINTER also develops transceivers supporting wireless communication via free-space optical (FSO) and millimeter-wave (mmWave) channels. These dual-mode systems ensure reliable performance in both indoor and outdoor deployments.
Finally, the project delivers a unified networking platform to enable real-time, time-deterministic communication with guaranteed service quality across all industrial scenarios.
SPRINTER’s solutions will be validated in a real-world industrial setup featuring a fully functional closed-loop control system, demonstrating their readiness to support the next wave of industrial digital transformation.
To support this, industrial networks must meet several essential requirements:
- Scalability and throughput: The massive deployment of diverse sensors demands networks capable of Gbit/s data rates.
- Time-critical performance: Closed-loop control systems require reliable, bounded-latency communication between controllers and field devices.
- Flexibility: Devices should be freely positioned, overcoming the limitations of wired connectivity.
- Hybrid networking: Wireless and wired technologies must be harmonized to support deterministic, high-throughput operation.
- Cost and energy efficiency: Solutions must be economically viable and low power to enable widespread adoption.
Launched in September 2022 under Horizon Europe, SPRINTER is an Innovation Action focused on advancing industrial networking through novel optical technologies. The project combines cutting-edge photonic integration platforms to develop energy-efficient, low-cost, and high-performance optical transceivers and switches tailored to Industry 4.0 requirements. SPRINTER’s key innovations include:
- 200 Gb/s transceivers for high-capacity industrial data links.
- 10 Gb/s wavelength-tunable transceivers, enabling all-optical switching with guaranteed latency and reliability for time-sensitive communication.
- Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexers (ROADMs), optimized for space-division multiplexing, to reduce congestion and data delays.
- To address the dynamic nature of industrial environments, SPRINTER also develops transceivers supporting wireless communication via free-space optical (FSO) and millimeter-wave (mmWave) channels. These dual-mode systems ensure reliable performance in both indoor and outdoor deployments.
Finally, the project delivers a unified networking platform to enable real-time, time-deterministic communication with guaranteed service quality across all industrial scenarios.
SPRINTER’s solutions will be validated in a real-world industrial setup featuring a fully functional closed-loop control system, demonstrating their readiness to support the next wave of industrial digital transformation.
The main technical achievements of SPRINTER, within Period 2 can be summarized as follows:
Obj.1: InP-EML (Fig.1) and InP-PD arrays for the O-band multilane optical transceiver have been developed, exhibiting output powers of up to 20 mW and responsivities above 0.5 A/W. In addition, GaAs-based VCSEL arrays with flip-chip compatible pads (Fig.2) with output power above 3 mW and modulation BW over 30 GHz and flip-chip compatible InP PD arrays (Fig.3) (0.55 A/W, 30 GHz), operating at 1060 nm, were successfully developed. Finally, novel flip-chip PolyBoard interposers hosting VCSELs and PDs have been demonstrated for the first time, achieving propagation losses below 0.4 dB/cm.
Obj.2: A major milestone was reached with the development of a single-gain PZT-based ECL laser prototype, exhibiting comparable performance to heater-based counterparts. Meanwhile, LNOI chips with various modulator designs were developed, demonstrating promising results, confirming their potential for high-speed modulation and efficient integration with hybrid photonic platforms.
Obj. 3 & 4: Progress continues toward these objectives, with key components being under development.
Obj. 5: The targeted energy-efficient SiGe BiCMOS circuits have been developed and tested using precursor assemblies showing very good or even state-of-the-art performance. For example, the driver-VCSEL assembly operates up to 60 Gb/s over 5 km standard single-mode fiber while consuming around 1 pJ/bit. Furthermore, the driver-EML assembly operates up to 80 Gb/s NRZ and 112 Gb/s PAM-4 per channel, confirming that the driver can handle high photocurrent and a wide bias voltage range ( Fig. 4). Finally, the burst-mode TIA has been demonstrated together with a new burst-mode CDR up to 30 Gb/s with locking times < 10 ns, exceeding the SPRINTER requirements.
Obj. 6: Significant progress was made on the SDN controller and agent integration for time-sensitive networking (TSN). Wireless network testing for TSN synchronization was completed, and both Device and Network-side TSN Translators were implemented. Software was developed to interface with TSN NICs via exposed APIs, enabling control over traffic and network resources while a Centralized Network Controller (CNC) was designed and extended to manage all endpoints, successfully applying user-defined policies.
Obj.7: A key milestone of the project has been reached with the successful assembly and packaging of the EML-based PSM-4 200Gbps optical transceiver of SPRINTER (Module-1a Tx, Rx)- see Figure 5.
Obj.8: Preparatory work for final demonstration activities progressed significantly. The design of testbeds and final demo setups was completed, focusing on showcasing SPRINTER’s applicability in robotic accuracy and visual inspection scenarios.
Obj. 9: A comprehensive market analysis was conducted, along with a manufacturability plan emphasizing scalable, cost-efficient production strategies. The exploitation plan was refined to explore suitable business models and integration paths for industrial deployment. Dissemination and communication efforts expanded considerably, with over 2,100 website visitors and more than 25,200 social media impressions. The consortium partners actively participated in several high-profile events and 17 scientific articles published.
Obj.1: InP-EML (Fig.1) and InP-PD arrays for the O-band multilane optical transceiver have been developed, exhibiting output powers of up to 20 mW and responsivities above 0.5 A/W. In addition, GaAs-based VCSEL arrays with flip-chip compatible pads (Fig.2) with output power above 3 mW and modulation BW over 30 GHz and flip-chip compatible InP PD arrays (Fig.3) (0.55 A/W, 30 GHz), operating at 1060 nm, were successfully developed. Finally, novel flip-chip PolyBoard interposers hosting VCSELs and PDs have been demonstrated for the first time, achieving propagation losses below 0.4 dB/cm.
Obj.2: A major milestone was reached with the development of a single-gain PZT-based ECL laser prototype, exhibiting comparable performance to heater-based counterparts. Meanwhile, LNOI chips with various modulator designs were developed, demonstrating promising results, confirming their potential for high-speed modulation and efficient integration with hybrid photonic platforms.
Obj. 3 & 4: Progress continues toward these objectives, with key components being under development.
Obj. 5: The targeted energy-efficient SiGe BiCMOS circuits have been developed and tested using precursor assemblies showing very good or even state-of-the-art performance. For example, the driver-VCSEL assembly operates up to 60 Gb/s over 5 km standard single-mode fiber while consuming around 1 pJ/bit. Furthermore, the driver-EML assembly operates up to 80 Gb/s NRZ and 112 Gb/s PAM-4 per channel, confirming that the driver can handle high photocurrent and a wide bias voltage range ( Fig. 4). Finally, the burst-mode TIA has been demonstrated together with a new burst-mode CDR up to 30 Gb/s with locking times < 10 ns, exceeding the SPRINTER requirements.
Obj. 6: Significant progress was made on the SDN controller and agent integration for time-sensitive networking (TSN). Wireless network testing for TSN synchronization was completed, and both Device and Network-side TSN Translators were implemented. Software was developed to interface with TSN NICs via exposed APIs, enabling control over traffic and network resources while a Centralized Network Controller (CNC) was designed and extended to manage all endpoints, successfully applying user-defined policies.
Obj.7: A key milestone of the project has been reached with the successful assembly and packaging of the EML-based PSM-4 200Gbps optical transceiver of SPRINTER (Module-1a Tx, Rx)- see Figure 5.
Obj.8: Preparatory work for final demonstration activities progressed significantly. The design of testbeds and final demo setups was completed, focusing on showcasing SPRINTER’s applicability in robotic accuracy and visual inspection scenarios.
Obj. 9: A comprehensive market analysis was conducted, along with a manufacturability plan emphasizing scalable, cost-efficient production strategies. The exploitation plan was refined to explore suitable business models and integration paths for industrial deployment. Dissemination and communication efforts expanded considerably, with over 2,100 website visitors and more than 25,200 social media impressions. The consortium partners actively participated in several high-profile events and 17 scientific articles published.
The strategic objective of SPRINTER technology is to provide cost-efficient and energy efficient solutions in the physical layer infrastructure that will enable the deployment of the emerging bandwidth and power-hungry applications such as AI, data engineering and robotics and thus pave the way towards the digitalization of industrial networks.
By the end of period 2 of the project, SPRINTER partners have already started to successfully leverage the know-how and the tangible results of the project:
InP-EML based transceivers of low footprint, operating over a bandwidth exceeding 50 GHz, with output power up to 20 mW have been developed; results on SPRINTER VCSELs testing demonstrated 5 km transmission of 60 Gb/s using our Driver-VCSEL circuit of power efficiency below 1 pJ/bit, at the same time when commercial units offer solutions in the order of 20 pJ/bit; furthermore, the driver-EML assembly operates up to 80 Gb/s NRZ and 112 Gb/s PAM-4 per channel, confirming that the driver can handle high photocurrent and a wide bias voltage range; process improvements on the development of PZT-based active components for the development of ultra-fast tunable transceivers have already been successfully demonstrated, validating the potential for nanosecond scale switching time; progress was made on the SDN controller and agent integration for time-sensitive networking (TSN), to name a few.
By the end of period 2 of the project, SPRINTER partners have already started to successfully leverage the know-how and the tangible results of the project:
InP-EML based transceivers of low footprint, operating over a bandwidth exceeding 50 GHz, with output power up to 20 mW have been developed; results on SPRINTER VCSELs testing demonstrated 5 km transmission of 60 Gb/s using our Driver-VCSEL circuit of power efficiency below 1 pJ/bit, at the same time when commercial units offer solutions in the order of 20 pJ/bit; furthermore, the driver-EML assembly operates up to 80 Gb/s NRZ and 112 Gb/s PAM-4 per channel, confirming that the driver can handle high photocurrent and a wide bias voltage range; process improvements on the development of PZT-based active components for the development of ultra-fast tunable transceivers have already been successfully demonstrated, validating the potential for nanosecond scale switching time; progress was made on the SDN controller and agent integration for time-sensitive networking (TSN), to name a few.