LIGENTEC’s board gains photonics & sensors executive

LIGENTEC SA of Lausanne, Switzerland, a manufacturer of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and chip-based components, has appointed Dr Thomas Hessler as a member of its board of directors.

“His leadership skills and insights are to be put to good use to support the next stage of growth for LIGENTEC,” says co-founder Dr Michael Zervas. “Thomas brings with him his holistic approach and hands-on knowledge, built over years of experience growing a company, along with an extensive network of professionals and makers,” he adds.

“He does not only bring his knowledge of the Swiss ecosystem and his worldwide connections to key market players, but also understands the technology and its potential to open new market areas that still have to be developed,’’ comments co-founder Dr Michael Geiselmann.

Hessler has over 20 years of experience in executive management in the high-tech business-to-business environment (namely photonics and sensors). After obtaining a PhD in applied optics, he started a corporate venture, leading to Axetris AG, and developed the firm into a market leader for micro-optics, optical gas sensing components and specialty MEMS foundry services with applications in the automotive, medical, analytical and industrial space.

LIGENTEC has matured a proprietary silicon nitride process that is able to achieve ultra-low propagation losses. “Our process is able to deposit thick-film silicon nitride, from 100nm to 2500nm, overcoming the challenge of crack formation due to stress in the material,” says Zervas. The process can also scale up to production volumes using 8” wafers and stepper lithography. The proprietary low-loss waveguide technology, together with the low bending losses that thick-film nitride enables, paves the way to new integrated applications, says LIGENTEC. Thick silicon nitride chips can thus scale down four-fold in cost compared to thin-film silicon nitride, it is reckoned.

“LIGENTEC’s groundbreaking all-nitride-core technology combines low propagation loss with small device structures,” comments Hessler. “It offers the best of two worlds compared to conventional photonic integration technologies,” he adds. “Its possibility to be integrated easily with fibers and active functionalities will be key to achieve success in many PIC applications such as datacom, space, LiDAR and sensing.”

See related items:

VPIphotonics, LIGENTEC and VLC streamline design process for SiN PICs

LIGENTEC and VLC Photonics offer silicon nitride photonic integration circuit foundry

Tags: PIC

Visit: www.ligentec.com