Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
High Performance 3D Photonic Integration for Space Applications
Project Description
In this work, Freedom Photonics will team with University of California, Santa Barbara to develop a hybrid integration platform that integrates yielded, best-of-breed active optical components with low-cost, high functionality Silicon Photonics components in a manner that is compatible with foundry fabrication. This will be performed in a highly manufacturable manner, using passively aligned pick-and-place technology to place the semiconductor components on the interposer substrate to form a system in package-type of integration platform for space photonic applications. The approach is based on a novel 3D hybrid integration approach developed at UCSB that is scalable, low cost, reliable, and that demonstrates superior thermal performance.
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Anticipated Benefits
Chip-scale integrated miniaturized, yet high performance photonic systems can significantly impact a wide range of applications including and in addition to NASA space communication and control needs. These applications include other terrestrial communications applications, including both free-space and fiber optic links, a range of sensing applications and potential optical waveform generating sources. Freedom Photonics will work with NASA and communications equipment manufacturers in the development and commercialization of these chip-scale photonic integration technologies to a variety of NASA applications and markets.
1. Optical fiber sensor systems which with significantly lower cost has the potential to become pervasive in structural monitoring of buildings, vehicles and other structures. 2. Optical links such as free-space optical or hybrid fiber-wireless systems where implementation to date have been limited due to the performance and cost of components compared to conventional transmission links and digital technologies. 3. Medical markets, a potentially very large volume market where a range of non-invasive optical sensing and imaging technologies are emerging including optical coherence tomography. 4. Chipscale integrated systems and subsystems for large data centers and supercomputer data transfer interconnects. Low-cost, ruggedized integrated photonics is a requirement for meeting these demands through efficient advanced photonic integrated circuit technology, in particular with regard to the large volume of components needed in a large datacenter or supercomputer. More »
1. Optical fiber sensor systems which with significantly lower cost has the potential to become pervasive in structural monitoring of buildings, vehicles and other structures. 2. Optical links such as free-space optical or hybrid fiber-wireless systems where implementation to date have been limited due to the performance and cost of components compared to conventional transmission links and digital technologies. 3. Medical markets, a potentially very large volume market where a range of non-invasive optical sensing and imaging technologies are emerging including optical coherence tomography. 4. Chipscale integrated systems and subsystems for large data centers and supercomputer data transfer interconnects. Low-cost, ruggedized integrated photonics is a requirement for meeting these demands through efficient advanced photonic integrated circuit technology, in particular with regard to the large volume of components needed in a large datacenter or supercomputer. More »
Project Library
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freedom Photonics, LLC | Lead Organization | Industry | Santa Barbara, California |
Goddard Space Flight Center
(GSFC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Greenbelt, Maryland |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | Supporting Organization | Academia | Santa Barbara, California |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
California
-
Maryland
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