Swiss Photonics Integration Center
Photonic integration is a core technology which enables a wide range of the technological disruptions that are currently transforming our society such as optical communications, sensing, quantum computing, autonomous driving, AI, AR/VR, medical, and many others.
All these technologies rely on photonic integration to miniaturise their components, lower their cost, improve performance, increase data speeds and lower energy consumption.
However, the complexity of photonic packaging is also increasing. Common challenges for Swiss industry, especially start-ups and SMEs include assembly & packaging, testing and qualification and support in these areas is crucial for the industry to live up to its enormous growth potential.
PIC Packaging
Photonic Integrated Chips (PICs) are chips which can perform higher functionalities with light like electronic ICs do with electrons. They require a wide range of highly customized packaging and integration technologies to efficiently handle all their optical, electrical, mechanical and thermal needs. Swiss PIC are specialists in designing interfaces meeting these needs
Quantum Photonics Packaging
The needs for optical quantum processes resemble those for other types of micro optical integration, but in addition quantum processes often need extremely low loss, exotic optical wavelengths, cryogenic cooling and/or a large number of channels. It is a particular focus area for Swiss PIC to deliver these needs
Micro optical bench
Not all optical functions can fit on a chip. Even if they are not based on chips many optical systems benefit from micro packaging as it saves cost, size energy and can make the system less sensitive to vibrations and shocks. Swiss PIC utilizes its competence and equipment to also build up complex micro optical systems for these applications.
Design
Efficient photonic integration requires a good design. Swiss PIC can help design the interfaces of a chip so that they support efficient packaging and model the design to predict expected performance. Finally, we can design processes to implement the proposed packaging process on our equipment
Packaging/Integration
Swiss PIC has invested in advanced packaging equipment, cleanrooms, and skilled staff to operate these. This allows us to carry out packaging for prototype to pilot series volumes of chips in a cost efficient manner. Ensuring a fully packaged solution which serves the systems optical, electrical mechanical and thermal requirements
Training
Aside from providing access to advanced packaging services Swiss PIC is also a knowledge hub for optical integration processes. We will conduct trainings in optical packaging processes and equipment use to share our knowledge with our community. Because the better you understand the packaging process the better we can serve you.
The Advanced Manufacturing Technology Transfer Center (AM-TTC) Alliance funds a series of technology centers across Switzerland. Each center specializes in a different technology and aims to support the Swiss industry in innovation in their field.
In 2022 the Swiss photonics community got together to establish a competence center to address their common challenges with micro optical integration and the new AM-TTC Swiss PIC was born.
Swiss PIC is located in Park InnovAARE, next to the Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Aargau, Switzerland
