AIM Photonics invites those interested to submit proposals to the call for the AIM Photonics Government Directed Project (GDP): Advanced Silicon Photonics for Enhanced Networking (ASPEN). Multiple awards are anticipated under this program, which currently has $10M in funding. Additional federal funding may be available to support a second phase of this effort; however, it is expected that any future work would build on the results of this effort.

In this episode of Photonics in Focus, Nathan Lin, AIM Photonics’ Director of Outreach, talks with Kevin McComber, Founder and Executive Director of the Spark Photonics Foundation. Dedicated to inspiring the next generation of innovators, the Foundation provides practical, hands-on STEM education and outreach that connects K-12 students with real-world applications in photonics, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing. Kevin shares how his team collaborates with educators to spark curiosity and expand the talent pipeline for the PIC industry by offering engaging, project-based learning experiences that resonate with young minds.

AIM Photonics would like to invite those interested to submit proposals to be included in the AIM Photonics Government Directed Project: QFlex Design Competition and MPW Access (QFlexDC). This competition will provide up to 25mm2 on a QFlex MPW run at no charge rather than providing funding directly to the competition winners.

The Canadian Photonics Fabrication Centre joins the AIM Photonics ecosystem to enable member organizations with a seamless North American integrated photonics supply chain.

Introducing the AIM Photonics Photonics In Focus podcast. Our first episode features Dr. John Bowers, the Director of the Institute for Energy Efficiency and a Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Materials at UCSB, and a pioneer in integrated photonics who helped shape AIM Photonics since its inception. Dr. Bowers shares insights into the evolution of AIM Photonics since its inception in 2015 as a U.S. Manufacturing Innovation Institute. He discusses how AIM Photonics has been instrumental in fostering a robust domestic ecosystem for integrated photonics manufacturing and design. Tune in as we explore the significant technological breakthroughs that have successfully bridged the gap between fundamental research and product development, positioning the U.S. as a leader in the rapidly evolving global photonic integrated circuit (PIC) industry.

With the demand for skilled professionals in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) design, fabrication, and packaging exceeding the current and projected talent supply over the next five to ten years, workforce development has become a critical focus for the U.S. Department of Defense and organizations it supports, like AIM Photonics. With an objective to not only drive the technological advancements that will strengthen the domestic integrated photonics industry, AIM Photonics also focuses on developing and growing the nation’s PIC workforce.

AIM Photonics continues to develop multi-project wafer technology solutions, addressing some of the biggest challenges at the forefront of integrated photonics. AIM Photonics has succeeded in providing an accessible and reliable small-volume option for integrated photonics development at the wafer-scale, including process design kit offerings and an MPW program. Building on this success for small to medium-sized enterprises, AIM Photonics is now offering incremental increases of die per wafer for MPW riders, while ensuring predictable reliability in larger volumes. By offering a volume discount for wafers already being processed, riders can utilize the flexibility and cost differential for better management of chip production for prototyping, testing, and packaging, or research targets.

Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub (NORDTECH), a regional consortium of government labs, defense companies, academic institutions, and technology manufacturing organizations in New York State and one of eight hubs composing the U.S. Microelectronics Commons program, is proud to announce that four innovative projects have been selected by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to receive significant federal funding. These projects are set to receive a total of more than $30 million in the technical areas of quantum and commercial leap ahead technologies.

The dedicated work on these advanced projects is already underway, including projects involving AIM Photonics, “Quantum Ultra-broadband Photonic Integrated Circuits and Systems (QUPICS)” and “Heterogeneous Quantum Networking.”

AIM Photonics' member NLM Photonics announced today that it has been awarded a $1.8 million AFWERX STTR Phase II Contract from the U.S. Air Force. This award funds a 21-month project with AIM Photonics to potentially offer modulator components in AIM Photonics’ process design kits (PDKs) for silicon-organic hybrid devices on the institute’s 300 mm silicon photonics platform. These devices focus on low-power, high-bandwidth electro-optic (EO) modulation for datacom, RF photonics, sensing, and more applications, utilizing silicon-organic hybrid (SOH) EO modulators.

AIM Photonics recently demonstrated a selection of products and systems using photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology developed at the Institute to show DoD leadership at the Pentagon how AIM Photonics provides both the technical expertise and fabrication capabilities of this advanced technology which is needed to help secure the nation’s defense and economic security.