Objective
Femtosecond mode-locked lasers (fs-MLLs) are key tools for generating optical frequency combs, enabling precision metrology, spectroscopy, LiDAR, terahertz generation, and microwave photonics. Yet current fs-MLLs rely on hand-assembled fiber oscillators, which are bulky, costly, and unsuited for volume applications. To address this bottleneck, fs-MLLs must be realized on photonic integrated circuits (PICs), combining performance with wafer-scale manufacturability.
EPFL has recently demonstrated the first self-starting photonic integrated mode-locked laser (PI-MLL) that delivers femtosecond pulses with low noise and turnkey operation. The device merges two proven technologies: low-loss silicon nitride PICs with erbium ion implantation, yielding record-gain waveguide amplifiers, and semiconductor saturable absorbers (SESAMs), a mature solution for mode-locking. This approach enables 300-fs pulses at >1 GHz repetition rates with pulse energies up to 55 pJ, a pump threshold as low as 27 mW, and exceptional frequency comb stability. PI-MLLs can be packaged in standard butterfly modules and battery-powered, offering compact and robust solutions.
The project PI-MOLL will advance this breakthrough to a packaged prototype (TRL 6) ready for customer testing. Technical objectives include photonic packaging, SESAM design, and integration. Application demonstrations will target terahertz time-domain spectroscopy for nondestructive testing and photonic analog-to-digital converters for microwave photonics. In parallel, commercialization activities - market analysis, IP build-up, trade fairs, and customer engagement—will be pursued with partners EDWATEC and MENLO Systems.
By delivering the first wafer-scale manufactured chip-scale fs-MLL, PI-MOLL will overcome the limits of fiber-based lasers, unlock scalable and cost-effective solutions, and catalyze applications across metrology, imaging, LiDAR, and spectroscopy.
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.
- engineering and technology materials engineering fibers
- natural sciences chemical sciences inorganic chemistry metalloids
- natural sciences physical sciences optics laser physics
- natural sciences physical sciences optics spectroscopy
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
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Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC)
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Topic(s)
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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.
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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.
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-EIC-2025-TRANSITIONOPEN
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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.
1015 LAUSANNE
Switzerland
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