News: Optoelectronics
21 November 2024
Chips JU to fund new European pilot line for Advanced Photonic Integrated Circuits
The Public Authorities Board (PAB) of the Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) has selected the consortium with which it will start negotiations to establish the Advanced Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) pilot line for Europe (PIXEurope), which will be jointly funded by the European Union, through the Horizon Europe and Digital Europe programs, Chips JU participating states, and private organizations.
PIXEurope will bring together Europe’s top research organizations to establish what is reckoned to be the world’s first open access PIC ecosystem. It will use state-of-the-art equipment to develop innovative PIC technologies and processes, including design, chip fabrication and hybrid integration, through to packaging, test and reliability technologies.
“This selection is an important step for the semiconductor industry and Europe’s capacity in the production of photonic integrated circuits,” says Chips JU executive director Jari Kinaret.
Coordinated by the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) near Barcelona, Spain, the 20-member consortium includes participants from Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, Austria, Italy, France and the UK. The Chips JU will proceed with the negotiations with the consortium to finalize the hosting agreements, joint procurement agreements, and the related grant agreements.
Previously, in April, the Chips JU announced the selection of four pilot lines to be implemented in Europe. The PIC pilot line now becomes the fifth to enter negotiations, as part of the €380m Chips JU’s key effort to strengthen capacity building and innovation in Europe. Aligned with the objectives of the Chips for Europe Initiative, the pilot line is expected to collaborate with the other four Chips JU pilot lines, design platform and competence centers.
EU-funded Chips JU selects four new pilot lines to be implemented in Europe
