News: Optoelectronics
3 June 2021
PhotonDelta, TNO, Eindhoven and Twente collaborating on Photonic Integration Technology Center
On 2 June, integrated photonics industry accelerator PhotonDelta, research institute TNO (the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research in Delft), Eindhoven University of Technology and University of Twente signed a cooperation agreement for the new Photonic Integration Technology Center (PITC) in the Netherlands, which is targeted at accelerating the commercialization of integrated photonics for applications such as autonomous mobility, healthcare, data and communications.
Located on the premises of Eindhoven University of Technology and University of Twente, PITC is enabled by Brainport Development, the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate, regional growth accelerators BOM and OostNL and the provinces of Noord-Brabant, Overijssel and Gelderland.
Bridging the gap between research and application
The new PITC is an independent R&D and innovation center that aims to bring photonic technologies to industrial maturity, build partnerships, strengthen the photonics ecosystem, and link it to a global customer base.
Customers get access to technology and know-how at an early stage while sharing the costs and risk of new technology development. The jointly developed innovations will be extensively tested for reliability and stability, facilitating the route to production.
With a wide spectrum of applications, integrated photonics is a key enabling technology enabling a prompt and efficient response to societal challenges. “The Photonic Integration Technology Center brings integrated photonics to a level that it can be easily adopted by industry,” says Carlos Lee, general director of the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC). “This great ambition makes the PITC a perfect fit to the EPIC ecosystem,” he adds.
Specific PITC tasks will be:
- developing technology in shared innovation programs;
- ensuring a smooth path to manufacturing and commercialization;
- providing access to high-tech infrastructure and facilities; and
- supporting talent development for skilled professionals building a high-tech ecosystem in the Netherlands.
