Collaborative by design: the PITC and the MEKOPP project
In 2021, the Photonic Integration Technology Center (PITC) was established as an applied R&D centre to bridge state-of-the-art expertise on integrated photonics with the industrial needs of today and tomorrow. The PITC Metrology Programme is an ongoing shared research agenda that includes a wide range of industry partners that cover the supply chain of integrated photonics; collectively, they work on challenges concerning the test process in the production flows for integrated photonics. This made the PITC an ideal partner for the MEKOPP project.
The objectives of this PITC applied R&D programme fit perfectly with the goals and development activities of MEKOPP, particularly in regard to metrology methods, processes and systems for producing integrated photonics. Within the project, PITC staff were engaged in drafting the Photonics Test Prober (PTP) and Photonics Visual Inspection Tool (PVIT) system specifications, developing the test software modules, and planning, designing and acquiring validation material fabricated using a next-generation production node. This took the form of a batch of four-inch indium phosphide (InP) wafers from a commercial photonics foundry. Such wafers are now used for the development and validation of these in-production test and inspection systems.
The MEKOPP project is funded by:
