Descripción del proyecto
Una visión iluminada de la lógica digital podría revolucionar el desarrollo de dispositivos
Las matrices de puertas lógicas programables en campo (FPGA, por sus siglas en inglés) han revolucionado la industria electrónica. Tal y como indica su nombre, se trata de circuitos integrados que pueden ser programados o reprogramados por el cliente para cualquier funcionalidad o aplicación requeridas tras la fabricación, esto es, sobre el terreno. Ahora, el proyecto financiado con fondos europeos FPPA está creando una empresa semilla para comercializar su tecnología que pasa de las operaciones digitales lógicas programables a las interferencias ópticas para operaciones analógicas a muy alta velocidad. La bautizada como matriz fotónica programable en campo (FPPA, por sus siglas en inglés) podría revolucionar el mercado ahora dominado por casi tantos circuitos ópticos para tareas específicas como aplicaciones existen. Un chip óptico programable podría reducir los costes de diseño y fabricación, a la vez que iniciaría una nueva era de innovación óptica.
Objetivo
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.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum PilotInstitución de acogida
46022 Valencia
España