Skip to main content
European Commission logo print header

Field Programmable Photonic Arrays

Project description

An enlightened take on digital logic could spawn a revolution in device development

Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) have revolutionised the electronics industry. As their name implies, they are integrated circuits that can be programmed or reprogrammed by the customer to any required functionality or application after manufacturing - i.e. in the field. Now, the EU-funded FPPAs project is preparing a spin-off company to commercialise its technology that moves from programmable digital logic operations to optical interference for very high-speed analogue operations. The newly christened field-programmable photonic array (FPPA) could revolutionise the market now dominated by almost as many optical circuits for specific tasks as there are applications. An optical programmable chip could reduce design and fabrication costs while ushering in a new era of optical innovation.

Objective

The core concept behind this POC proposal spins-off from the activity of the Advanced Grant ERC-ADG-2016-741415 UMWPCHIP. It will establish the innovation potential behind a novel and revolutionary concept, the Field Programmable Photonic Array (FPPA).

The FPPA has a similar rationale as the FPGA in electronics: A common hardware is designed to provide several resources that can be employed to implement different functionalities by means of programming. However, the FPPA is different from the FPGA in the sense that it does not carry digital logic operations but rather exploits optical interference to perform very high-speed analog operations acting over the phase and amplitudes of optical signals in a controlled environment provided by the chip's reduced footprint.

The overall aim is to develop the first steps of this process that include: the technical and commercial viability; development of IPR strategy; establishing connections for later stage funding and covering the initial expenses for establishing a spin-off company. To achieve the project overall goals, I have organized the work-plan into three main tasks. T1: Hardware Development, T2: Software Development and T3: Technology transfer and Spin-off constitution.This combined effort to be undertaken through ERC PoC will provide both a strong technical as well as business foundation for my revolutionary FPPA concept.

To my knowledge neither any other research group nor any other company in the world has proposed so far a similar integral approach towards a generic programmable photonic product such as that of the FPPA. Clearly, there is an extraordinary window of opportunity for developing this innovative concept, opening the path towards overcoming the death of More's Law enabing future flexible integrated chips incorporating both electronics and photonic parts.

This PoC project will be the first leading to the creation of a European spin-off company in the field of programmable photonics.

Host institution

UNIVERSITAT POLITECNICA DE VALENCIA
Net EU contribution
€ 150 000,00
Address
CAMINO DE VERA SN EDIFICIO 3A
46022 Valencia
Spain

See on map

Region
Este Comunitat Valenciana Valencia/València
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
€ 150 000,00

Beneficiaries (1)