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Large-scale Multicore Smart Photonics: Using advanced design and configuration protocols to develop the largest-scale programmable photonic processor

Project description

Overcoming the challenge of scalability for photonic integrated circuits

The rapid advancement of computing and communications technologies has created an unprecedented demand for improved performance and efficiency in integrated electronics. While promising multipurpose, programmable photonic integrated circuits (PICs) offer the potential for cost-effective mass production and processing versatility, they have yet to achieve the scalability needed to keep pace with these technological advancements. The ERC-funded LS-Photonics project aims to develop the foundational technology to enable this scalability. The project will identify current scalability challenges, design and test photonic circuits and processors, and demonstrate their applications in photonic neuromorphic systems.

Objective

Emerging communications and computing fields are pushing the limits of integrated electronics demanding growing performance and requiring to symbiotically team up with integrated photonics. The development of multipurpose programmable photonic integrated circuits promises cost-effective mass production and the system versatility required in novel dynamic processing scenarios. However, their scalability is a major challenge constrained both by hardware and software.
To unleash the potential of programmable photonics it is essential to create novel circuits and components as well as to re-define its fundamentals. Multicore architectures are a potential unexplored solution offering scalability, multitasking, and parallelization, but key technology enablers are required to jump to practical large-scale applications.
The aim of this project is to develop the theoretical and technological fundamentals of programmable integrated photonics to unlock their limited-scale by developing the first large-scale multicore programmable photonic processor and its application as a complex-valued neuromorphic computer.
To achieve this aim, we will (i) identify the main scalability limits, advanced photonic circuit architectures and component development solutions for large-scale programmable photonic circuits; (ii) develop a functional single-core programmable photonic processor with more than 2500 phase actuators; (iii) demonstrate large-scale complex-valued coherent neuromorphic circuits; and (iv) develop a functional 4-core programmable photonic processor with more than 10000 actuators and demonstrate its experimental application to photonic neuromorphic systems.
LS-PHOTONICSs will have a major impact on high-density integrated photonics circuits by facilitating a new paradigm of general-purpose/application, advanced photonic computing and ready-to-use and flexible devices that will extend the penetration of advanced photonics technology into seamless areas of application.

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Topic(s)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2022-STG

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Host institution

IPRONICS PROGRAMMABLE PHOTONICS,SL
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 499 325,00
Address
CAMINO DE VERA SN EDIFICIO 9B
46022 Valencia
Spain

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Este Comunitat Valenciana Valencia/València
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 499 325,00

Beneficiaries (1)

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