AIM Photonics Showcases Cutting-Edge Technologies at Annual DoD Manufacturing Technology Exhibition
Dr. Aprille J. Ericsson, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Science and Technology, observes as AIM Photonics Executive Director Wade Cook demonstrates a 300 mm wafer embedded with photonic integrated circuits (PIC) fabricated by AIM Photonics. AIM Photonics is dedicated to advancing affordable, rapid transitions of new PIC technologies into products and systems that bolster national defense and economic priorities.
AIM Photonics recently participated in the annual Manufacturing Technology Exhibition hosted by the Department of Defense (DoD) Manufacturing Technology Program at the Pentagon. The event provided a platform for DoD senior leadership to engage with the program’s Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (MIIs) and explore their latest advancements. AIM Photonics is one of nine MIIs sponsored by the DoD established to advance the affordable and rapid transition of new technology and capabilities into products and systems that help secure national defense and economic priorities.
During the event, AIM Photonics demonstrated a selection of products and systems using photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology developed at the Institute to show how AIM Photonics provides both technical expertise and fabrication capabilities of PICs, as well as some of the novel systems that can be created with these components. These included:
A chemical sensing system developed with the U.S. Army DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center/Naval Research Laboratory. Based on a technique called waveguide-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, the system is designed to detect hazardous chemical vapors such as chemical warfare agents, enabling soldiers to take timely protective actions. The system runs on standard 110 V power and uses about as much power as a laptop computer.
A portable in-home blood diagnostic platform developed by SiPhox using sensor technology developed at AIM Photonics that provides lab-quality measurements of biomarkers at 100x smaller size and cost than traditional diagnostics. The device can detect a wide range of markers to measure and track an individual's health in terms of inflammation, metabolic fitness, nutritional balance, hormonal and cardiovascular health.
Hands-on Photonic Education (HOPE) Kits made with integrated photonic chips manufactured and packaged at AIM Photonics enable instructors to educate and train students on photonic integrated circuit testing and characterization. The HOPE Kits consist of fully packaged PICs, lowering the barrier to testing without the expense and challenges associated with bare-PIC alignment setups.
RapidPlex Photonic Diagnostics, a low-cost, disposable medical diagnostic tool developed by the University of Rochester and the University at Albany that uses an AIM Photonics ring resonator sensor PIC with a passive microfluidic sample card to detect and measure respiratory viral infection antibodies (such as flu or COVID) and other inflammatory markers in a blood sample.
“AIM Photonics is very proud to showcase these examples of our advanced technology capabilities to the DoD leadership at the Pentagon,” said Melissa Renzi, AIM Photonics Director of Event Planning, who represented the Institute at the Pentagon along with AIM Photonics Executive Director Wade Cook.