Frequency-agile integrated photonic light sources across the visible and near-infrared spectrum

Project Information

AgiLight

Grant agreement ID: 101131069

DOI

10.3030/101131069

EC signature date 12 April 2024

Start date 1 October 2024

End date 31 March 2028

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

€ 2 786 477,50

EU contribution

€ 2 786 477,50

Coordinated by

THALES
France

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - AgiLight (Frequency-agile integrated photonic light sources across the visible and near-infrared spectrum)

Reporting period: 2024-10-01 to 2025-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Lasers enable applications from high-speed optical communication and precision manufacturing to medical imaging, environmental sensing, and quantum technologies. Despite their ubiquity, most laser systems still rely on bulky, manually assembled components – a legacy of designs that have changed little in decades. This limits scalability, cost efficiency, and suitability for emerging applications requiring compact, stable, and fast-tunable light sources.

AgiLight addresses this gap by developing a new class of integrated, frequency-agile lasers that combine exceptional performance with wafer-scale manufacturability. The project’s vision is to create compact, low-cost laser sources spanning the near-ultraviolet (400 nm) to the infrared (1.7 µm), achieving unprecedented coherence, output power, and tuning speed.

Building on breakthroughs in integrated photonics, AgiLight will combine ultra-low-loss photonic circuits, advanced III-V gain media, and high-speed tuning actuators based on piezoelectric and electro-optic materials. This enables smaller, more robust, and more agile lasers than traditional fiber and bulk systems.

The project aims to demonstrate, for the first time, wafer-scale integrated lasers with Hz-level linewidth, nanosecond tuning, and output powers above 10 mW, thus unlocking new possibilities in:
• Autonomous mobility, via compact, fast-tunable laser sources for high-resolution LiDAR;
• Infrastructure and environmental monitoring, using ultra-stable lasers for distributed fiber sensing and gas detection;
• Quantum technologies, including Rydberg-atom sensors and compact optical clocks;
• Life sciences and healthcare, enabling wearable diagnostic systems based on precise light-matter interaction.

AgiLight’s long-term impact extends beyond the project’s lifetime; by shifting from manually assembled bulk systems to integrated, wafer-scale lasers, it aims to reduce production costs, enhance reliability, and open new high-volume markets such as autonomous vehicles, quantum sensing, and environmental monitoring – positioning Europe at the forefront of next-generation laser technology, strengthening the European photonics and semiconductor ecosystem.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In the first reporting period (RP1), the AgiLight project achieved progress across several work packages, including:

Light-source concepts and models (WP2, led by KIT) focused on defining the design architectures and specifications for the AgiLight light sources. Under KIT’s leadership, Milestone 1 (MS1) was successfully achieved, providing a comprehensive set of source specifications and component requirements. Key developments included the selection of first-generation gain chips and the joint fabrication by TGN and IHPP of a blue-wavelength (~450 nm) III-V semiconductor gain chips that are required for stable single-mode operation, an essential step toward high-performance visible laser sources.

Frequency-agile low-loss photonic integrated circuits (WP3, led by EPFL) advanced the development of tunable, low-loss photonic platforms to support hybrid frequency-agile lasers. Notable progress includes a tenfold enhancement in stress–optic actuation efficiency using monolithic piezoelectric materials on Si₃N₄ and the demonstration of PIC-based photonic integrated circuits and materials covering the wavelength range from the blue to the short-wave infrared. Feasibility studies of organic electro-optic materials and PIC-based laser designs for FMCW LiDAR applications were also initiated.

Ultra-wideband hybrid photonic assembly (WP4, led by VA) focused on broadband single-mode optical coupling solutions. RP1 achievements include the development of low-absorption materials and robust 3D-printing processes, yielding coupling losses below 2 dB at 780 nm and 1550 nm. The assembly and testing of a 1550 nm E-DBR laser validated the integration approach and provided critical insights for optimizing coupling efficiency across multiple wavelengths.

Proof-of-concept demonstrations (WP5, led by THA) will begin in RP2 (M21–M42) and aim to validate AgiLight’s laser technologies in diverse applications, including FMCW LiDAR, atomic clocks, RF sensing, underwater LiDAR, and gas spectroscopy. During RP1, the work focused on planning, defining system-level requirements, and preparing for integration and testing activities.

Dissemination & Exploitation (WP6, led by DLT): The project launched the website and a dissemination plan, boosting visibility at trade shows with live demos of its tunable narrow-width laser technology (ECOC 2025, Laser World of Photonics 2025) and talks at conferences (CLEO Europe, Optica Advanced Photonic Congress, etc.).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The results yielded from the Agilight project match and surpass the performance of state-of-the-art photonic technologies:

• First-generation concepts and designs for frequency-agile laser sources were successfully defined across the visible to infrared range (450-1700 nm). These architectures enable matching and surpassing the performance of legacy laser systems while featuring a compact and robust assembly and wafer-scale manufacturability. This class of lasers is poised to revolutionize multiple industrial and scientific applications.
• Blue-wavelength lasers and gain chips (~461 nm) were developed by TGN and IHPP, a pioneering achievement given the complexity of achieving stable, single-mode operation in the blue spectral region with multi-mW-level output power. The reflective semiconductor optical amplifier (RSOA) gain chips deliver 30-40 mW at 300 mA and exhibit excellent mode quality and stability, representing a significant advancement over current GaN-based laser devices.
• Ultra-low-loss Si₃N₄ photonic integrated circuits were demonstrated by EPFL across a broad wavelength range, for example, achieving record-high quality factors (Q ≈ 3 million at 460 nm). This was enabled by ultra-pure, hydrogen-free Si₃N₄ cores and low-confinement geometries, resulting in scattering losses that were more than six times lower than those of conventional designs. Such performance enables sub-kHz linewidth hybrid lasers that outperform current photonic and fiber laser systems (Anat Siddharth et al., “Narrow-linewidth, piezoelectrically tunable photonic integrated blue laser”, arXiv 2025).

• Tenfold improvement in piezoelectric actuation efficiency was achieved using optimized actuator design in combination with monolithic AlScN. The new PIC platform enables GHz-range frequency tuning with minimal voltage excursion and power consumption, a significant step toward efficient, compact, and agile photonic systems.

In summary, during RP1 AgiLight achieved major advances across the full photonic integration chain – from blue-emitting gain chips and ultra-low-loss Si₃N₄ waveguides to broadband coupling interfaces and hybrid laser prototypes. These breakthroughs surpass state-of-the-art in performance, tunability, and compactness. The developed technologies lay the groundwork for high-impact demonstrations in LiDAR, quantum sensing, metrology, and environmental monitoring to be carried out in RP2. By uniting advanced materials, integration techniques, and scalable manufacturing, AgiLight strengthens Europe’s leadership in next-generation photonics and accelerates progress toward real-world adoption.

Photonic integrated tunable laser operating at blue wavelength (460 nm)