Project “RocketChip” will develop a 400 Gb/s optical communications module for optical fibre transmission. The core technology for this high speed, communications module is Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC). This technology allows the transmit- and receive-functionality of the system to be integrated onto single chips. The size of the integrated chips will allow the module size to meet the requirement of an industry standard common form factor. This will make it physically compatible with current system vendors’ products. PIC chips are key to the next generation of telecommunications networks that will demand even higher performance, smaller size and lower cost. EFFECT Photonics are leaders in the field of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) and will combine their PIC technology (based on technology spun out from TuE) with their unique and low cost PIC chip packaging technology (15x cheaper than traditional gold box packaging). This will give EFFECT Photonics a significant cost advantage over competing technologies and products, making it economically viable to manufacture the product in Europe. On completion, this 2 years and 9 months project will deliver a market ready and cost effective 400 Gb/s optical communication module. The project is a key enabler of 400Gb Ethernet (400 GbE), providing a timely solution to the urgent, unrelenting issue of rapidly increasing bandwidth demand, converting world leading European research and innovation into €148M of revenue and securing Europe’s position at the forefront of an emerging Photonic Integrated Circuit industry. This project will enable EFFECT Photonics to develop a leadership position in the next generation of PICs and hence develop a strong, profitable and growing business in Europe.

The WIPE project aims at developing hybrid electronic-photonic chips as a key enabling technology for data transmission purposes. It aims at bringing photonics to a new level by developing a concept that can be well industrialised. This sustains EU leadership in photonics, as is the ambition of the work program. A new wafer-scale technology will thus be developed for direct and intimate attachment of III-V Indium-Phosphide (InP) photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and BiCMOS electronic chips (ICs). The ICs contain the driver, receiver andcontrol electronics for the PIC and enable direct connection to polymer optical waveguides. This technology of ‘wafer scale heterogeneous integration’ enables high-performance and high-density photonic-electronic (photronic) modules are created having a lower energy consumption, lower packaging complexity and lower cost compared to modules using more traditional interconnection techniques like wire bonding and laser welding of fibre connections. Next to the new bonding technology, an integrated module design technology is developed for efficient co-design of hybrid photonic and electronic modules. A library consisting of photonic/electronic standard modules, is created leveraging the process design kits (PDKs) of the most important European foundries of photonic chips in combination with a powerful BiCMOS. These tools are of significantimportance to industry, since they offer photronic module designers a standardised approach that highly facilitates the module design for SMEs and affordable manufacturing by photonic and electronic foundries. The WIPE approach will be proven by showing the feasibility of a 400Gb/s transceiver for data centre application.

The PASSION project will develop new photonic technologies for supporting agile metro networks, enabling capacities of Tb/s per channel, 100 Tb/s per link and Pb/s per node over increased transport distances. A new metro network infrastructure is envisioned, fitting the network operator roadmap and targeting at least a tenfold reduction in components energy consumption and footprint. These breakthroughs are achieved by developing all the essential photonic building blocks. On the transmitter side a novel 3D stacked modular design will be developed combining a silicon photonics (SiPh) circuit layer with directly modulated high-bandwidth 1550nm VCSELs light sources. At the receiver side we will develop novel InP based coherent receiver arrays which handle polarization on chip making polarization handling off chip unnecessary. Finally, we will develop a compact and cost-effective switching concept which can support the Pb/s capacities generated by the transceiver modules, using a combination of InP and SiPh PICs. Increased system flexibility and modularity is obtained by sliceable bandwidth/bitrate variable transceivers. The resulting solution will offer scalability, programmability and re-configurability using agile aggregation in spectrum, polarization and space dimensions. PASSION will contribute to reinforce European industrial technological leadership in high-capacity photonic devices and sub-systems, addressing the growing market of metro network scenarios, improving business opportunities in Europe. The PASSION consortium includes universities, research centres, device manufacturers, a supplier of communication equipment and a network operator addressing the entire value chain. The strong industrial commitment is demonstrated through the presence of two large enterprises and four SMEs, which will identify the path to industrial exploitation, standardization and commercialization, while universities and research centres will support the scientific dissemination.