- In addition to Si2, the CoE will also receive support from Intel, Keysight Technologies USA and SiTerra Malaysia.
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), along with Si2 Microsystems, has collaborated to set up a Silicon Photonics Research Centre of Excellence, Centre for Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuits and Systems (Silicon Photonics CoE-CPPICS) at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M).
The MeitY and Si2 Microsystems will sponsor the five-year project to support self-sufficiency and drive product commercialisation in the photonic integrated circuit (PIC) segment in India, with an undisclosed substantial budget.
Si2 Microsystems will help deliver state-of-the-art System-in-Package solutions for silicon photonic processor cores. In addition to Si2, the CoE will receive support from Intel, Keysight Technologies USA and SiTerra Malaysia. SiTerra’s Silicon Photonics Foundry, Malaysia, will support wafer scale yield testing of some novel silicon photonic devices already demonstrated using in-house technology at IIT Madras. At the same time, Keysight will help conduct joint research and development (R&D) activities in silicon photonics technology.
Chief Investigator of the Silicon Photonics CoE-CPPICS, Prof. Bijoy Krishna Das, said, “This transformative technology is primed to cater to a wide array of sectors, including quantum computing, quantum communication, 5G/6G communications, IoT, radar, avionics, and more. The nation is looking forward to witnessing the success of CPPICS as it takes this technology to full commercialisation and spearheads PIC manufacturing in India.”
Initial efforts will focus on developing solutions for microwave and quantum photonics applications, such as advanced photonic processors, scalable linear optical quantum computing processors, and chip-level quantum key generation and distribution circuits. The centre aims to support R&D in programmable photonic integrated circuits and systems using CMOS-compatible silicon photonics technology.
The centre was inaugurated by MeitY Secretary S Krishnan and witnessed the attendance of Prof. Kamakoti Veezhinathan, Director of IIT Madras, Sunita Verma, Scientist G and R&D Group Coordinator (MeitY), Dr Sankha dip Das, Scientist D (MeitY), Prof. Nagendra Krishnapura (Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Madras), Dr Kishore Kamath, (Vice President of R&D silicon photonics product division, Intel, USA), Dr Ravi Bhatkal (Managing Director of India Element Solutions Inc, India), and Dinanath Soni (Executive Director of Si2 Microsystems, India).
