Smart PHotonic devices Using Novel metamaterials

Project Information

SPHUN

Grant agreement ID: 190113917

DOI

10.3030/190113917

Project closed

EC signature date 16 November 2022

Start date 1 December 2022

End date 30 September 2025

Funded under

• The European Innovation Council (EIC)

Total cost

€ 2 571 427,50

EU contribution

€ 1 799 999,25

Coordinated by

ALCYON PHOTONICS SL
Spain

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SPHUN (Smart PHotonic devices Using Novel metamaterials)

Reporting period: 2024-03-01 to 2025-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The SPHUN project's main goal is to untap the massive adoption of integrated photonics, with a new approach to designing PICs, based on granting access to validated IP that can be combined to build new and more compelling applications. As a result, SPHUN sets as a first technical objective to enrich and validate an extended library of innovative photonic building blocks based on novel metamaterials based on sub-wavelength structures, enabling designers of new photonic devices to streamline their design of advanced photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The Photonics IP library will offer a diverse range of functionalities with improved performance, versatility, and robustness, in a format compatible with semiconductor commercial foundries. Additionally, SPHUN has the objective of making accessible the library of IP to the industry and academy, through the upgrading and deployment of Alcyon’s platform on a public release. The Alcyon platform streamlines the integration of the library of IP in the end-to-end product development of photonics devices. This release also includes updates to the internal software that supports the work of Alcyon’s team and ensures the company's scalability. Technological improvements include advanced computation techniques to achieve a significant reduction in the computation required for photonic simulations, and a higher degree of automation to increase the efficiency of the production process to minimize human errors.

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

During the execution of the project, we made the first release of the digital platform (the Alcyon toolkit) including a demo IP library and multiple design tools. This platform, including the IP libraries, can be accessed under registration on our website. Apart from the demo library, we have also released two additional IP libraries to the public for ANT collaboration: one available in our Toolkit platform and another integrated in Luceda's IPKISS platform.
Additionally, we have upgraded and optimized our portfolio of designs through an extensive study using simulated behavioral data and supported by experimental validation, including repeatability analysis of the actual performance. These upgrades and optimizations have been performed across different foundries, including two of the top 10 semiconductor foundries worldwide. Therefore, we have consolidated our alliance with four foundries, and we are now officially part of their ecosystems as IP providers.
Moreover, we have upgraded our internally developed tools for the automatization and more efficient use of resources. We have automated many processes, such as the creation of databases and the automatization of simulations, or the Layout Creator Module, which allows for layouting with very simple scripting so that only basic programming skills are required.
Importantly, we have achieved experimental validation of most of the designs across different foundries. This milestone further strengthens the consolidation of our company within the supply chain of photonic integrated circuits, positioning us as a key and indispensable part of it.

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)

Overall, the SPHUN project holds the potential to revolutionize the field of integrated photonics by providing academia and industry with the tools and resources needed to push the boundaries of innovation and create transformative technologies with wide-ranging applications.
- Streamlined Development Process: The digital platform offered by the SPHUN project includes libraries of validated photonic integrated blocks and Photonics IP core (PIP core©), which streamline the development process of advanced Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs). This accelerates innovation by reducing design cycle times and facilitating rapid prototyping.
- Accessibility and Compatibility: The platform is designed to be accessible to a wide range of users, including researchers, engineers, and photonics designers. Additionally, the compatibility with semiconductor commercial software for design and traditional electronics fabrication methods ensures seamless integration into existing workflows of product design.
- Facilitating Innovation: By providing access to modular, validated, and scalable integrated photonics libraries of IP, the SPHUN project empowers researchers and photonics designers to explore new innovations and create novel solutions. This fosters a culture of innovation within the integrated photonics community and drives advancements in various application areas.

Fig4. Screenshot of the subwavelength Grating Technology white paper

Fig2. Extract from Alcyon Photonic's webpage indicating the product&services available.

Fig3. Light propagation through one of Alcyon's power splitters/designs.

Fig5. Charazterization of a chip manufactured in ANT

Fig1. KLayout interface with the Alcyon utilities and libraries imported.