Descrizione del progetto
Un’interpretazione illuminata sulla logica digitale potrebbe dare il via a una rivoluzione nello sviluppo dei dispositivi
I dispositivi FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) hanno rivoluzionato l’industria elettronica. Come suggerisce il nome, si tratta di circuiti integrati che possono essere programmati o riprogrammati dal cliente per qualsiasi funzionalità o applicazione richiesta dopo la produzione, ovvero, sul campo. Attualmente, il progetto FPPAs, finanziato dall’UE, sta preparando un’azienda spin-off per commercializzare la propria tecnologia che spazia dalle operazioni logiche digitali e programmabili all’interferenza ottica per operazioni analoghe ad altissima velocità. Il nuovo dispositivo FPPA (Field-Programmable Photonic Array) potrebbe rivoluzionare il mercato, dominato ora da quasi tanti circuiti ottici per attività specifiche quanto le applicazioni esistenti. Un chip programmabile ottico potrebbe ridurre i costi di progettazione e fabbricazione, inaugurando nel contempo una nuova era di innovazione ottica.
Obiettivo
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.
Campo scientifico
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
ERC-POC-LS - ERC Proof of Concept Lump Sum PilotIstituzione ospitante
46022 Valencia
Spagna