Programme PIC Summit Europe 2023

Walk-in & registration

Welcome by host & Opening remarks by Ewit Roos

Harnessing light for a brighter future: exploring the potential of integrated photonics

Keynote description: Today’s smartphones surpass the power of the Apollo mission's computers. Such is the potential of scaling driven by silicon technology. Now consider that integrated photonics is named as ‘the next big thing’ in scaling. Can we even begin to imagine where that will lead us? Ilan Spillinger, EVP and CTO at imec, leverages his knowledge of integrated photonics' current state to explore future applications. Exponential growth in communication speed and computing power warrant excitement. And when photonic chips enter domains such as healthcare and agriculture, humankind can take giant leaps towards a better life.

The age of Photonic IC's: Europe's quest for strategic autonomy

Keynote by European Commission: TBC

Deeptech investment landscape: Fireside chat with Rinke Zonneveld and Michael Jackson

Keynote description: TBC

Networking Break

Moore’s law continues to drive semiconductor growth

Keynote description: Paul de Bot will discuss the growth characteristics of the semiconductor market, which is expected to reach $1T by 2030. A range of applications including smartphones, high-performance computing and automotive, increasingly benefits from the power/performance/area improvements offered by Moore’s law. This makes advanced CMOS (currently FinFET) technology by far the largest growth driver of the semiconductor market across application areas. Specific specialties like Silicon Photonics may leverage this growth, by adding value in specific sub-segments of the HPC market. As more and more computational power is embedded into single SoCs, also the I/O bandwidth requirements increase. Due to limitations of both SoC beach-front as well as SoC power, copper reaches its limits and will ultimately be replaced by optics as the means to get the data on and off chip for certain high-end HPC applications.

An industrial perspective for scaling

Keynote description: TBC

Wrap-up morning programme

Networking Lunch

Photonic Integration for LiDAR - monolithic, hybrid or discrete?

Panel description: There are many different platforms in which you can design a LiDAR system. Some parts you can integrate in a PIC, others are perhaps best done with (micro-)optics. What are the trade-offs? Which gives you the best performance vs. cost vs. scalability vs. reliability? And what about the maturity of the supply chains? In this panel session we will discuss these questions with a group of well renowned experts from the industry, and make it an interactive session with the public.

Funding Photonics: investment challenges and strategies for success

Panel chairs: Michael Jackson and Ivan Stojanovic. Panel description: TBC

EU-Strategy

Panel chair: TBC. Panel description: TBC

Lessons learnt from electronics roadmaping

Break-out Technology description: The development of technology roadmaps was initiated in the late 1980’s in the microelectronics community with the objective to identify technology challenges that could be addressed by a joint effort across the value chain, involving all stakeholders, such as academia, industries and end users. This enabled standardization and the creation of pre-competitive generic technologies and technology platforms that could be used to produce a wide variety of increasingly complex applications. Additionally, development costs and time could be decreased, thus sustaining Moore’s Law, which has been driving the microelectronics industry ever since. In this seminar, the benefits of roadmapping will be discussed, not only for miniaturization in microelectronics, but also for heterogeneous integration for the creation of complex hybrid systems (“More than Moore”).

Cost, Performance, Usability, and Regulatory Challenges for PIC Sensing in Biomedicine

Break-out Applications description: This talk will discuss the unique requirements for PIC sensors as applied to biomedicine: sensors must be cost-competitive with legacy technology, while exhibiting outstanding performance and fulfilling criteria set by regulators. Opportunities beyond diagnostics including in drug discovery and development will also be highlighted, along with sustainability challenges.

The war for talent

Break-out Business description: TBC

photonixFAB – The EU-funded pilot line to empower photonics innovations

Break-out Technology description: The photonixFAB project aims to empower photonics innovation by SMEs and large entities by providing low barrier access to both low-loss silicon nitride (SiN) and silicon-on-insulator (SOI) based photonics platforms with indium phosphide (InP) and lithium niobate (LNO) heterogenous integration capabilities. The objective is to establish a European photonics device value chain and initial industrial manufacturing capabilities. Thus, providing a path to scalable high-volume manufacturing for innovative product developers. This will strengthen the continent’s manufacturing capabilities in key emerging areas.

Transforming Industries with Integrated Photonics in Fiber Optic Sensing

Break-out Applications description: Discover the transformative influence of integrated photonics on the world of fiber optic sensing in this presentation by Thijs Van Leest, R&D Director of PhotonFirst. Join us as we explore the benefits of integrated photonics-based fiber optic sensing systems, showcasing real-world examples that highlight their practical applications and impact. Gain insights into how PhotonFirst is leading the direction in this technology, reshaping industries and redefining the future of sensing.  

Early stage investments and opportunities for PIC start-ups

Break-out Business description: TBC

Networking Break

Heterogeneous integration

Panel chairs: Martijn Heck and Peter O'Brien. Panel description: Future PIC-based systems will require an indium phosphide based laser and a bunch of silicon transistors. This will likely be integrated on a silicon substrate. Technologies and materials will have to be combined, but what is the best option? Will this be done by chiplets, by wafer or die bonding, or maybe even monolithically? In this session we will discuss the pros and cons of various heterogeneous integration techniques. We will also discuss to which extent the application is playing a role for the choice of technology.

Sensing with PICs: Closing the gaps between techology & markets

Panel chair: Carol de Vries. Panel description: TBC

Attracting & retaining talent in competitive markets

Panel chair: Ruud van Heur. Panel description: TBC

Technology Developments & Equipment Requirements for Scaling Up Photonics Production

Break-out Technology description: If the market forecasts on the integrated photonics sector are to be believed, photonics devices are set to become increasingly integrated and their production increasingly high volume. We give some insight into existing tools, those currently being rolled out and even those still being developed that will assist in the transition to, and in achieving high-volume manufacturing.

New Photonic Metrology Equipment – Enabling to Scale-up Photonics Production and Innovation in Front- and Back-End

Break-out Technology description: With support from REACT-EU and NXTGEN Hightech, a consortium of 12 Dutch organizations is developing new photonic metrology equipment, much needed in this industry to enable scaling up Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) production and integration. As both the demand for PICs and their complexity continue to increase, more quality assurance and control tools are needed. In response, the MEKOPP consortium stepped up in 2021 to develop two new wafer level test systems. The PIC Summit 2023 in Eindhoven is the premiere platform where MEKOPP shows demonstrator versions of the photonic optical inspection system ‘HELIOS’ and the photonic functional test prober ‘SIRIUS’.

Sustainable semiconductors

Break-out Business description: TBC

Electronics & Photonics: Chip design for future systems

Break-out Technology description: With Moore's law slowing down there is an enormous push in the industry to address demands for a variety of markets like automotive, datacom, HPC, energy, health and agri-food with new architectures for semiconductor based systems of chips. How will photonics help electronics? What challenges are there for adoption of PIC technology? In manufacturing, packaging, and especially design?

Spain for PICs: vision & strategy

Break-out Business description: Spain has cultivated a robust photonic integrated circuit (PIC) ecosystem, emphasizing research, development, and collaboration since 2010. The nation's "PERTE Chip, Microelectrónica y Semiconductores" flagship program, launched in 2022, underscores PICs as a strategic asset. Spain's PIC journey thrives on research excellence, fostering an environment where industry players collaborate to innovate and streamline manufacturing processes. Sustainability is at the core of this vision, as PICs offer energy-efficient solutions for global resource distribution and sustainable energy challenges. Looking ahead, Spain aspires to maintain its global leadership in PIC technology through continued investment and support for innovation, ensuring a sustainable and technologically advanced future.

Wrap-up Day 1

Networking Drinks & Welcome Dinner