AIM PHOTONICS SUMMER ACADEMY
Join us for a week of intensive study in integrated photonics, including materials, devices, circuit design and chip fabrication principles, packaging, sustainability, testing, system applications, and introduction to electronic-photonic design automation (EPDA) software.
DATES: July 2025 (Dates TBD)
COURSE TYPE: In-person
LOCATION: MIT | Cambridge, Massachusetts
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LEARN with instructors from AIM Photonics, MIT, Dartmouth College, University of Rochester, RIT and University of Twente. See the course summaries and meet the instructors.
NETWORK with colleagues from academia and industry.
MEET leading EPDA software vendors from Ansys, Cadence and Synopsys to examine the latest achievements in circuit simulation and layout.
COLLABORATE and present a design team project on application-specific PICs that helps define emerging photonics chip standards and performance metrics.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Identify optical components market trends and assess electronic-photonic integration benefits in emerging industry applications: datacomm, RF signal processors, sensors, LIDAR imaging, and quantum computing.
Evaluate the performance of silicon photonic devices and foundry chip production methods.
Learn about the standardized approach of process design kits (PDKs) to begin designing basic photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for fabrication with AIM Photonics.
Learn about semiconductor sustainability challenges for electronic-photonic systems applications.
Explore leading automated design tools from vendors who collaborate with the AIM Photonics PIC foundry production process.
Learn about PIC packaging evolution and test characterization methods.
Interpret application design tradeoffs and identify manufacturing standards to satisfy unique metrics for application-specific PICs.
Develop foundational content to support and promote integrated photonic competency within a company, or an integrated photonics track within a community college or university.
CONTINUE YOUR LEARNING
In addition to the instructor-led courses, all participants will have access to the online course Fundamentals of Integrated Photonics for continued learning in key principles and application areas.
REGISTRATION
The cost to attend the AIM Photonics Summer Academy is $4,200 if registered on or before June 30. After that date the cost is $5,000.
A discounted academic rate of $700 is available for undergraduate, graduate students, and college staff/faculty if registered on or before June 30. After that the academic rate is $900. In order to receive the academic discount, you must request a promo code to be used on the Eventbrite ticket payment form. Please write to aimsummer@mit.edu for the code.
As an education offering of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the AIM Photonics Summer Academy adheres to the registration guidelines of the United States Office of Foreign Assets and Control (OFAC) sanctions list. Please read these important registration requirements PRIOR to registering for this course.
SCHEDULE-AT-A-GLANCE
| Morning | Afternoon | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Registration, Semiconductor Sustainability | ||
| Day 2 | AIM Photonics Standards, Services Passive Devices |
Design team project breakout session PIC Application: Datacom |
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| Day 3 | AIM Photonics TAP Services Active Devices Wireless Application |
Design team project breakout session PIC Application: Sensing |
|
| Day 4 | Fabless Photonics AR Imaging Application |
Design team project breakout session PIC Optical Testing |
|
| Day 5 | Process variation and Design for Manufacturing Quantum Computing Application |
PIC Packaging Design team project breakout session |
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| Day 6 | Design team project presentations IPSR Roadmap |
||
| NOTE: schedule may be subject to change | |||
WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The AIM Photonics Summer Academy is intended for academics and professionals interested in integrated photonic circuit design, chip fabrication, packaging, testing, and system applications.
Students ranging from the senior undergraduate level to faculty interested in starting an integrated photonics track at their school will become proficient in the fundamentals of PIC design and manufacturing.
The content will specifically prepare professional engineers in the electronic and photonic hardware industries in the latest integrated photonic technology device and sub-circuit layout methodologies and provide exposure to its EPDA modeling/simulation tools.
Executives and technologists including planners, engineers, and scientists in the optical and electronic components technology supply chain will acquire a working knowledge of the field.
The AIM Photonics Summer Academy provides contextual background expertise to complete the online courses, PIC1: Fabless Design of Photonic Integrated Circuits and PIC Sensor Design and Fabrication, which prepare students for design submissions to multi-project wafer prototype runs at the AIM Photonics fabrication facility.
LOGISTICS
A limited allotment of MIT on-campus dormitory housing is available for registrants on a first-come, first-served basis. The housing charge is a daily rate of $105 per night, and the dormitory is an 8-10 minute walk from all AIM Photonics Summer Academy events. Please see Frequently Asked Questions for more information (check-in/check-out times, restroom facilities).
Register for MIT on-campus housing (available until rooms last / June 27, 11:59 pm EST).
A light breakfast snack and lunch will be provided each day. Attendees are expected to arrange for their own dinner, except the Networking Dinner on Wednesday evening.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Attendees are required to bring a laptop for the PIC Design Project at MIT.
Thank you to the vendors who support the AIM Photonics Summer Academy
