Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DRIVE-In (Integrated Photonics for the next generation of autonomous Vehicles using InP technologies) Reporting period: 2019-10-01 to 2021-09-30 Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project Photonics is all around us: from communications and health, to materials processing in production, lighting and photovoltaics, and everyday products like DVD players and mobile phones. Yet the full disruptive potential of photonics is only now becoming clear. New advances in this sector are expected to revolutionise multiple sectors from healthcare, manufacturing, electronics, communication technologies, to energy efficiency and sensor applications applied across all environments, from specialized professional environment to consumer markets. Ranked by the European Union as 1 of only 6 Key Enabling Technologies (KET) the photonic sector employs about 290,000 people in the EU, many of these in the over 5000 photonics SMEs. In the same region between 20-30% of the economy and 10% of the workforce depends on photonics, directly impacting around 30 million jobs.Photonic integration is emerging as a new standard for providing cost effective, high-performance, miniaturised optical systems for a wide range of applications. The possibility of integrating complex and advanced photonic functionality into a single chip enables system designers and manufacturers to unite various optical devices into a single package, thereby offering significant enhancements in energy consumption, system size, costs and reliability. In order to unfold the PIC potential, from the research point of view in DRIVE-In we are addressing these challenges, creating the newest, most novel and disruptive simulation tools, modelling procedures, and design prototypes for use in hybrid photonics-microelectronics circuits (optoelectronic systems) for autonomous vehicle applications (ITSs, ADASs...)The 4 recruited fellows in DRIVE-In develop new state-of-the-art methods for FSO communication, 2D grating simulations and InP integrated electronic/photonic software structures for adaption in existing ITSs and ADASs and the individual WPs distinguish between different sub-research: Whereas WP2 concerns development of compact models and simulation methods for components adapted for hybrid photonic/electronic systems, WP3 concerns validation and statistical analysis of the compact models developed in WP2 through reliable test structures for the generic InP process, its fabrication and characterization. WP4 concerns the development and integration of a new software module for co-integrated hybrid electronics-photonics computational simulation of circuits and electro-optic devices. Finally, WP5 concerns the development of advanced PICs for testing new applications (other than safety systems) in the automotive sector and other relevant industrial sectors.DRIVE-In trains the four ESRs at two beneficiaries: University of Vigo (UVigo), a leading European academic institution – and at VPI Photonics (VPIP), an innovative company; as well as at three partners: Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institute (HHIF), a leading European academic institution – and at Automotive Technology Centre of Galicia (CTAG) and Bright Photonics (BP), both innovative companies. As such, DRIVE-In forms a strong interdisciplinary network between industry and technical sciences to overcome specific challenges of the integrated photonics sector, where implementation takes place through inter-sectoral secondments of the ESRs between these academic and industrial participants Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far ESR1 (WP2): This WP will focus on the generation of compact models of components for ADAS and safety applications for large-scale fabrication in InP foundries. The following tasks have been completed, according to chronogram:- Test plan and tasks workflow for compact models- Evaluation and performance of first-generation compact models for ADAS and safety systems.ESR2 (WP3): The objective is the development of one of the main components needed for any autonomous vehicles applications, a mode-locked-laser (MLL). The following tasks have been completed, according to chronogram:- Test plan and tasks workflow for test structures- Report on first generation test structure design for compact model characterizationESR3 (WP5): This objective will result in the development and demonstration of improved performance of advanced PICs in which technologies and compact models developed in previous objectives will be used. The following tasks have been concluded:- Test plan and tasks workflowESR4 (WP4): This objective will result in the development of a new software module compatible with VPIP simulation software. The tasks performed so far are:- Test plan and tasks workflow for hybrid software modules- Report on integrated hybrid software modules specificationsQOPHI Lab:We have set up and installed a RF and optical measurement probe station that will allow the ESRs to characterize the chips they will design and fabricate. QOPHI (Quantum, cOmmunication and PHotonic Integration Lab). 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) ESR1:- Develop compact building block models for the generic InP integration platform specifically designed for the automotive sector and ADAS systems. - Statistical circuit and yield optimization simulations - Development of solid- state LIDARs in an integrated fashion using adaptive beamforming by means of Distributed Bragg reflector gratings.ESR2:- To push the boundaries of LIDAR technology, as such new developments will enable sophisticated beamforming through simultaneous scanning, pointing, and tracking of multiple objects, or even direct line-of-sight communications- The development and integration of new laser devices for communication applications inside a vehicle in a generic InP process. - Development without loss of quality a high bit-rate laser suitable for ADAS without losing performance, thinking in strict specifications in other domains such as multimedia streaming, datacom/video applications, and human-machine interactions.- Provide valuable data to obtain compact models for the generation of the new photonic design kits.ESR3:- Creation of application-oriented PICs (ASPICs) of greatly improved performance in terms of noise levels, power consumptions and open new fields of PICs applications.- Development of an integrated FMCW Lidar based on developments from ESR1 and ESR2.- Statistical circuit and yield optimization simulations that will create a new standard in comparison to current available models.- Provide valuable data to obtain compact models for the generation of the new photonic design kits associated to this fabrication processESR4:- Design and integrate a new software module that permits the interconnection between electronics and photonics devices and circuits- To enhance the capabilities of existing integrated photonics circuits simulation software. - Tol allow interconnection of existing automotive designs with new photonics designs, extending the electromagnetic simulations from the electronics side to the photonics side.From the expected outcomes of DRIVE-In, new advances over the existing state of the art will be obtained in the InP integrated photonics fabrication process. This will produce significant advances in the photonic ecosystem. Between them the most important are a) new compact models, InP integrated photonic devices and components specifically designed for ADAS systems (but also with applications in other domains such as sensing, telecom or datacom) showing enhanced performance compared with existing ones and b) a cohort of ESRs trained on cutting-edge photonic integration and nanofabrication technology. ESRs daily work Website-lecturers Fellows in the Jeppix Winter School Website - ESRs Website news-secondments Fellows attending a cleanroom training Photo of the fellows Website news-publications Photo Laboratory Fellows in the Jeppix Winter School Website news-ECOC conference Website news- QCTech Centre Photo-Open days integrated photonics Website partners description
