AIM Photonics detailing opportunities for integrated photonics-related partnerships at OFC

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13 March 2018

AIM Photonics detailing opportunities for integrated photonics-related partnerships at OFC

At the Optical Fiber Communication conference & exhibition (OFC 2018) in San Diego, CA, USA (12-15 March), leaders from the the Rochester-based consortium AIM Photonics (American Institute for Manufacturing Photonics), an industry-driven public-private partnership advancing the USA’s photonics manufacturing capabilities, are sharing integrated silicon photonics-based research and development updates, highlighting the photonics process design kit (PDK, launched in 2016), which was recently updated to expand the comprehensive set of silicon photonics integrated circuit (PIC) component libraries within SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s (SUNY Poly) process to address high-speed optical communications needs. AIM Photonics representatives are also providing information about opportunities to take part in the initiative’s upcoming multi-project wafer (MPW) runs, among other topics.

“As AIM Photonics’ activity matures with the announcement of the new PDK update which we anticipate will open the doors to increased partnerships, along with the progress we have made establishing the TAP [Test, Assembly and Packaging] facility for example, we are thrilled to share our advances with industrial, academic and governmental leaders during a number of informational sessions and at the exhibition during OFC,” says Dr Michael Liehr, AIM Photonics’ CEO and SUNY Poly’s VP of research.

“With performance and quality improvements, the recently updated PDKv2.0b boasts verified low-loss, high-bandwidth and low-power performance, enabling fast succession of complex silicon photonics integrated circuits and making this a powerful tool for current and future AIM partners,” says Dr Erman Timurdogan, director of PDK Development at Analog Photonics.

AIM Photonics’ leaders are taking part in the following informational sessions:

2018 OIDA Workshop on Scalable Integrated Photonics for 5G and IoT, a workshop examining the opportunity for integrated photonics through plenary and invited talks by leading experts in the field and sponsored by AIM Photonics.
International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) and AIM Academy Presentations, providing an update on the iNEMI optoelectronics projects, Integrated Photonic Systems Roadmap (IPSR), and more on 12 March at the San Diego Convention Center.
AIM Photonics: Meeting the Challenges of the Marketplace and Providing Innovative Solutions (13 March, 3:45-4:45pm), moderated by AIM Photonics’ chief marketing officer Frank Tolic, where the latest accomplishments for key projects are being discussed, along with the most recent data on services including AIM Photonics’ PDK, MPW and the Grand Opening of the initiative’s 300mm wafer integrated photonics TAP facility. Speakers include Dr Michael Liehr; AIM Photonics Technical Review Board chairman Dr Tom Koch; AIM Photonics corporate outreach executive & VP for Test, Assembly and Packaging Ed White; Development Projects technical lead Dr Nicholas Fahrenkopf; and Dr Erman Timurdogan.
5th Workshop on Photonic Integrated Circuits at OFC, and sponsored in part by AIM Photonics, features a presentation by Timurdogan, among others, as this PIC workshop brings together many of the relevant players, independent of material system, to provide an overview that allows interested organizations to make the right trade-offs and get to know the key PIC service providers.

As part of the conference, AIM Photonics leaders are also sharing updates related to the Test, Assembly and Packaging (TAP) facility in Rochester, NY (the world’s first open-access integrated silicon photonics TAP facility). Construction has remained on schedule with offices ready, and its analytical laboratory and cleanrooms are expected to be complete later this year. To-date, nearly $40m in equipment is either on order or will be ordered, and tool installation and qualification are expected in second-quarter 2018.

“Lockheed Martin envisions significant advantages associated with the use of PICs in military applications,” comments Nick Rhenwrick, AIM Photonics program manager at Lockheed Martin Corp. “PIC technology has the potential to provide improvements in cost, size, weight and power (CSWaP) as compared to discrete photonic component implementations, similar to the tremendous benefits that have been realized by electronic integrated circuits (ICs).”

Also, hosting an overview of the AIM Photonics Integrated Photonic Systems Roadmap is the MIT-based AIM Photonics Academy, which is focused on building toward addressing the needs of the high-capacity, data-driven future economy. AIM Photonics Academy brings knowledge of the design and manufacture of photonic integrated circuits to a broad range of audiences, from elementary school students to professionals from multi-national companies, by offering education packages and programs, internship and summer learning opportunities, certification training, and more. AIM Photonics Academy is also building a roadmap to chart the transformative impact of integrated photonics, as this maturing technology expands and extends the applications of the electronics industry.

AIM Photonics leaders and representatives will also attend July’s SEMICON West 2018 trade show in San Francisco (10-12 July).

See related items:

AIM Photonics and Analog Photonics unveil silicon photonics PDK

AIM Photonics releases integrated silicon photonics PDK

Tags: silicon photonics PICs Optical communications EDA software

Visit: www.ofcconference.org/

Visit: www.aimphotonics.com/mpw-schedule