Skip to main content
European Commission logo print header

Indium-Phosphide Pilot Line for up-scaled, low-barrier, self-sustained, PIC ecosystem

Project description

A European manufacturing platform spurs photonics innovation

The first metal oxide semiconductor integrated circuit (IC) was commercialised more than half a century ago. Since then, ICs have revolutionised the electronics industry. By putting all the components on a single chip, ICs save space, weight and energy while enhancing performance and reducing costs related to production and packaging. Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are poised for the next revolution, this time with photons rather than electrons, and they are a perfect match for today's (and tomorrow's) fibre optics and ever-increasing optical devices and communications technologies. However, to truly unleash innovation, Europe now needs PIC manufacturers to support its PIC developers. The EU-funded InPulse project beings together a consortium of world leaders in PICs to deliver the solutions required to give Europe the competitive edge in this critical technology sector.

Objective

InP photonic integrated circuits (PICs) offer game changing performance capabilities across multiple market sectors. Alas, the possibilities have so far been restricted to a small number of vertically-integrated technology businesses. Europe boasts tens of innovative businesses who are positioned to develop PIC-enabled technologies , but – alas again – they do not have access to mature, fast-turnaround predictable, high performance production.

InPulse is a manufacturing pilot line for InP PICs which will transform the PIC industry from a vertically integrated model with all skills in-house within a small number of specialized businesses, to an open-access horizontal model accessible to all European innovators. InPulse puts in place the technological and operational processes to:
1) Accelerate the uptake of PIC technology in new markets: enabling SMEs to create tens of products in markets where PICs have not be used before.
2) Enable sustainable production in Europe creating aligned, scalable and inter-locking services and value chains
3) Accelerate time to market from years to under 24 months with predictive design for fewer and faster product design cycles
4) Qualify foundry processes, to TRL7, sharing process optimization across products

InPulse combines low entrance-threshold, mature-manufacturing to enable tens of European PIC innovators.
InPulse is validated by:
• A “Pilot Line Validation Program” with two Participants stretching performance
• A “Demonstrator Open Call” program enabling external users to take thirty designs to pre-production
• High frequency open access calls, sustainable beyond the end of the project

InPulse partners have played a pioneering role in open access InP PICs, creating an infrastructure for research and early stage development. We are very well positioned to enable high TRL development in a scalable design kit driven process driving open access InP PICs from proof of concept to industrial prototyping and pre-production.

Call for proposal

H2020-ICT-2018-20

See other projects for this call

Sub call

H2020-ICT-2018-2

Coordinator

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVEN
Net EU contribution
€ 3 934 864,59
Address
GROENE LOPER 3
5612 AE Eindhoven
Netherlands

See on map

Region
Zuid-Nederland Noord-Brabant Zuidoost-Noord-Brabant
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 3 934 864,59

Participants (19)