About Experimental MPW:

The workshop participants will get a chance to join an experimental MPW where they can choose one of the two laser integration modalities for the fabrication of a laser-integrated silicon photonics chip. Two laser integration options in experimental MPW include:

  • SOA integration with silicon photonics chips by micro-transfer printing
  • Laser integration with silicon photonics chips by photonic wire bonding

The experimental MPW is for experimental evaluation and it will provide a low TRL implementation of laser integration with silicon photonics chips.

  • Delivery of laser integrated MPW chips will be subject to export controls regulations.
  • The experimental MPW is a best-effort offer. SiEPICfab and ePIXfab do not make any promise concerning the performance of the laser integrated chips. The experimental MPW is for scientific evaluation only and it has a low technology readiness level.
  • The participants agree to pay the first installment (50% of the total cost) with the delivery of passive silicon photonics chips. The second payment is due after the delivery of laser-integrated PICs.
  • The participants agree to sign the design kit license agreements and contract to access the process design kit of the respective fabs (imec or Applied Nanotools Inc.).
  • The experimental MPW is a co-development and co-creation activity. Any dissemination of scientific results (such as through scientific publications) requires co-authorship of the involved parties.

How to join the laser integration MPW?

  • Prospects can make an expression of interest to join the MPW during workshop registration.
  • Prospects can make a final decision to participate in the MPW offer by December 3, 2021.
  • More details will be provided about participation in the MPW offer during the workshop.

Important dates

  • Registration deadline: 3 December 2021
  • First GDS submission: 21 Jan 2022
  • Final (DRC-clean) GDS submission: 11 Feb 2022
  • Chip Delivery: July 2022 for Photonic Wirebonding MPW offer and October 2022 for Transfer Printing MPW offer.

MPW Offers

SOA Integration with Transfer Printing MPW

Fabrication Process

  • Passives fabrication at imec using DUV lithography, single etch step: 180nm in a 400nm thick silicon device layer.
  • Heater integration + micro-transfer printing at Ghent University on die level. Transfer printed component: C-band SOA. 3dB gain bandwidth ~30nm.
  • Fiber interfacing: C-band grating couplers
  • Tutorial, design guide and PDK covered during the workshop

MPW Details

  • Silicon Photonics Chips
    • Designed by workshop attendees, with SOA unit cell pre-defined.
    • 3 chips delivered
  • Design review services
    • Follow-up meeting after the workshop is completed
    • DRC over email

Price

Euro 8750 + tax

Schedule

Tape-out 11 February 2022, chips delivered to customers: October 2022

Laser Integration with Photonic Wire Bonding MPW

Fabrication Process

  • Silicon-on-insulator, 220-nm top Si film, 2000-nm buried oxide (BOX)
  • Electron beam lithography, enabling features down to 70 nm
  • waveguides (strip)
  • gratings for fibre coupling
  • metal heaters for thermo-optic phase shifting
  • multiplexers, filters, ring and disk resonators
  • Fabrication is carried out by Applied Nanotools in Canada
  • DFB Laser integration using photonic wire bonding by Dream Photonics and UBC

MPW Details

  • Each designer will receive 4 copies of the same design. Each design is 5×5 mm and contains one O-band DFB laser integrated using photonic wirebonding
  • SiP chips designed by workshop attendees, with laser unit cell pre-defined and in a standard location on the chip.
  • Tutorial, design guide and PDK covered during the workshop

Price

CAD 13,000 + tax

Schedule

Tape-out 11 Feb 2022, chips to customers: July 2022