Project description
Innovative materials to control light more efficiently in photonic circuits
Photonic integrated circuits trap and manipulate photons on a chip, offering faster and more energy-efficient performance compared to traditional electronic circuits. However, challenges in programmability hinder their use in computing. Unlike electronic circuits, which rely on transistors, photonic circuits use phase modulators made from conventional materials that face fundamental limitations. The ERC-funded RaPPIC project will explore an innovative and efficient phase modulation technology using atomically thin semiconducting materials: transition metal dichalcogenides. These materials promise to outperform conventional technologies in all key performance metrics, including energy efficiency, modulation efficiency and optical losses. By interfacing these devices with waveguides, RaPPIC aims to advance programmable photonic circuits
Objective
Photonic integrated circuits enable trapping of photons, the fundamental particles of light, in a waveguide on a chip to allow their manipulation, similar to electrons in classical integrated circuits. While photonic circuits offer superior performance in speed and energy efficiency, their application in computing has so far been limited by their programmability. Electronic integrated circuits are based on transistors that until recently have become both smaller and more energy-efficient according to Moore's law. Photonic circuits on the other hand are controlled through phase modulators that typically rely on the same materials used in the electronic industry but suffer from fundamental limitations, which so far have hindered the implementation of dedicated scalable photonic computing hardware. We propose to explore an innovative and efficient phase modulation technology utilizing the novel material platform of atomically thin semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides that promises to outperform conventional technologies in all key performance metrics, including energy consumption, modulation efficiency and optical losses. One promising integrated photonics platform to host these novel devices is represented by laser-written waveguides that allow for a rapid design cycle, thereby drastically reducing timescales provided by conventional semiconductor foundries. This ERC Proof of Concept project aims at leveraging atomically thin semiconductors to implement programmable photonic integrated circuitry.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2022-POC2
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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.
80539 MUNCHEN
Germany
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.