World’s first integrated value chain platform initiative for heterogeneous integration in photonics
Three leaders in photonic integrated circuits announce collaboration to offer a seamless path for heterogeneous integration with micro-Transfer Printing (MTP).
Lausanne, Cork, Erfurt, September 20th, 2024 – In a bold move to revolutionise photonic integrated circuits (PICs), three of the industry’s foremost leaders, X-Celeprint, Ligentec, and X-FAB, are aligning their efforts to simplify and enhance heterogeneous integration through Micro Transfer Printing (MTP). This collaboration is set to close existing gaps in the value chain and offer a seamless journey from R&D to mass production.
In response to the global need for reducing power consumption, emissions, and material waste, innovation in advanced photonic integration and packaging technologies is paving the way for a greener future while delivering scalable, high-performance solutions for the industry.
Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) are at the forefront of technological innovation, poised to enable breakthrough applications and overcome current technological barriers. The future of PICs is moving toward chiplets, where the best materials and components are combined to create hybrid solutions.
Today, achieving these hybrid chiplets is a complex and cumbersome process for customers, as no integrated supply chain exists to streamline the path from development to production.
To address this challenge, three industry leaders are partnering to create a fully integrated supply chain that simplifies the development of and industrialisatin hybrid PICs:
- Ligentec: A leader in low-loss Silicon Nitride (SiN) PICs, enabling next-generation optical systems.
- X-Celeprint: A leader in micro-Transfer Printing (MTP), bringing the capability to integrate diverse active materials on PIC platforms.
- X-FAB: A leading specialty foundry for feature-rich analog mixed-signal ASICs, MEMS, Microsystems and Photonics, providing scaling-up and volume production capabilities.
Together, these companies will be working towards offering customers a complete, seamless solution, covering all stages from early technology assessment and R&D, through design support, prototyping, and piloting, to full-scale production.
As the first step in this collaboration, Ligentec will integrate photodetectors (PDs) onto their low-loss SiN platform using MTP technology. This will be offered as an additional module to their regular multi-project wafer (MPW) runs, providing an easy, low-barrier entry point for customers. X-Celeprint will contribute its vast expertise in process development, with X-FAB ensuring a smooth scale-up from prototyping to volume production.
“After years of intensive R&D, we are seeing significant uptake and interest in Micro Transfer Printing. The technology readiness level in photonics integration has reached the stage to bring it to the market, offering customers a powerful solution to overcome the challenges of hybrid PICs.” states Kyle Benkendorfer – CEO of X-Celeprint.
“No single material system can meet the diverse requirements of photonics. Heterogeneous integration is essential, and with Micro Transfer Printing, we have the ideal technology to combine the best active materials with our high- performance SiN platform,” adds Thomas Hessler, CEO of LIGENTEC, “This not only enhances functionality but also opens the door to new applications and innovations.”
“We see MTP as a very promising technology with tremendous future potential. X-FAB is committed to supporting this collaboration, ensuring a smooth and efficient transition from prototyping to high-volume production.” says Volker Herbig, VP BU Microsystems of X-FAB.
This combined offering covers the entire customer journey, providing clear and accessible pathways from R&D to high-volume production. Future functionalities, such as light generation and modulation, will be integrated in the next stages, further expanding the potential of this technology.