By 2028, it is expected that overall datacom capacity will reach 100,000 Petabit/s, corresponding to 1 billion 100-Gbps equivalent SerDes shipments, and several hundred million O-band CW laser wavelength lines (25/50/100 Gbaud PAM4/PAM8). Comb lasers are an ideal technology platform for compact WDM solutions with the high throughput required by growing needs of the datacom industry. Currently, two compact comb-laser technologies stand out as promising platforms for datacom light sources: InAs/GaAs quantum-dot based comb lasers and microresonator-based Kerr combs. The project, facilitated by the fundamental complementarity of both technologies, will strive towards their unification in one versatile chip-scale comb platform, covering full range of WDM spacings (ultra-dense to coarse) and addressing key challenges of the datacenter market - power efficiency, harsh operating environment (85°C) and scalability. The competitive advantage is based on current world-leading technologies of QD comb lasers and microcombs being commercialized by the partners, the results of the originating H2020 CALADAN and PHOENICS projects, as well as the novel features, such as chirped-DBR comb laser, comb SOA and evanescent coupling to SiP. The goals of the project: (i) to develop a novel design and technological process of CW comb laser PIC fabrication with enhanced mode stability and ultra-low noise; (ii) to develop 2 prototypes of GaAs/SiN-on-SiP comb PIC, including 1.3-μm comb laser, evanescent coupling to SiP substrate, and comb-SOA: (1) QD chirped DBR comb for UDWDM/DWDM, and (2) microcomb for DWDM/CWDM. The consortium consists of Innolume (world market leader in InAs/GaAs QD), Dublin City University (high-speed communications), and Enlightra (associated partner, startup established in 2021, world’s first commercial optical comb with large frequency spacing 100-1000 GHz). This consortium combines scientific expertise with experience in translating ideas into products and scaling them.

The rising life expectancy of EU citizens is creating a dramatic increase in age-related degenerative diseases and associated healthcare costs. The MOON Project (Multi-modal Optical Diagnostics for Ocular and Neurodegenerative Disease) meets this societal challenge by applying photonics to diagnose age-related diseases of the eye and central nervous system. Consistent with the ICT-29-2016: Photonics KET 2016 Work Program, MOON will design and build a multi-band, multimodal and functional imaging platform combining label-free molecularly sensitive Raman spectroscopy with high speed and high-resolution Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), for in-depth diagnostics of ocular and neurodegenerative diseases. MOON will enhance OCT – already the gold standard of retinal imaging - through the development of a disruptive laser technology that enables wide-field structural and functional imaging. MOON will establish a reference database for molecular biomarkers of addressed diseases that enables, for the first time, in-depth molecular-specific diagnosis of retinal diseases and neurodegenerative pathologies based on Raman spectroscopy. The MOON system will be validated in vivo in a clinical setting through close collaboration between clinicians and commercial partners. The clinical validation will establish the diagnostic accuracy of the multi-modal platform, while also verifying the ease-of-use needed for widespread adoption. MOON is driven by unmet medical user needs in diagnostic imaging with a clear business case addressing the highly promising ophthalmic market of early and in-depth molecularly sensitive diagnostics of retinal and neurodegenerative diseases. The three industrial partners cover the complete value/supply chain. MOON aims to bridge the gap between research and product development, thereby expediting the commercialization of the MOON technologies, strengthening the participating companies, and creating a competitive advantage for the European photonics market.

PUNCH offers a solution for time-deterministic and time-sensitive networks by developing a new optical switching paradigm which (I) breaks the trade-off between flexibility (ultra-dynamic reconfigurability) and determinism (guaranteed latency and jitter) by offering an all-to-all reconfigurable interconnect; (II) reduces congestion by activating bandwidth steering so that additional capacity can be allocated between hot nodes in the network; (III) provides unparalleled dynamics and bandwidth efficiency by further enabling multiplexing in the time domain with fast reconfigurable capability. A 2×2×8Lambda wavelength selective switching element will be scaled to a fully non-blocking 8x8x8Lambda and 16x16x8Lambda reconfigurable optical switch fabric. The development of a micro-transfer-printing process for semiconductor optical amplifiers enables loss-less optical switching on a silicon photonics platform. Custom configuration electronic ICs to actuate, control, and power-monitor a scaled switch fabric will be densely integrated with the photonic ICs into a heterogeneous fanout wafer-level package, processed on a 200mm reconstructed wafer platform. In addition, the optical interfacing to the photonic ICs will be accomplished using an optical redistribution layer, providing an optical fanout on high-density organic substrates, and allowing for a scalable optical fiber packaging solution. The novel integration and packaging processes will be applied for manufacturing 1.6 Tbit/s optical transceivers providing the interface between optical switches and electronic resources (compute, memory, and storage). The optical switch and transceiver prototypes will be demonstrated in a 5G RAN Transport Network, for TSN Fronthaul applications and for memory disaggregation in data centers.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a revolutionizing in-vivo 3D imaging technique for non-invasive optical biopsy addressing medical needs in early diagnosis and effective disease management. OCT has proven its value primarily in ophthalmology but more recently also in a variety of other medical fields. However, wide adoption in health care, a requirement for effective therapy control, has not taken place mainly due to cost limitations and the non-existence of miniaturized mobile devices. Integrated photonics is expected to leverage off many advances made in integrated electronics. Based on photonic integrated circuit technology, HandheldOCT will enable a new generation of handheld OCT systems in the 1060nm wavelength region for optimum tissue penetration with step-changes in imaging performance (4x faster imaging speed), with size (10x smaller) and cost (2-5x cheaper) beyond state-of-the-art. The monolithic integration of silicon nitride optical waveguides, Germanium photodiodes, and micro-optics combined with the hybrid integration of a novel compact all-semiconductor akinetic swept source will enable a mobile, low-cost solution of high usability. HandheldOCT is expected to contribute significantly to a widespread adoption of OCT in point-of-care diagnostics (e.g. for new-born, children, bedridden elderly, home remote diagnosis) and for diagnostic-driven therapy of major sight-threatening, mostly age-related retinal pathologies with the aim to improve patient outcome and reduce healthcare costs. The endeavour is strongly driven by companies and research organisations with solid expertise in silicon foundry technology, miniaturized laser sources, photonic design and packaging, electronics, and medical OCT system integration. The consortium includes clinicians and the world-leading ophthalmic equipment manufacturer focusing on implementing diagnostically relevant specifications and the translational clinical proof-of-principle testing on a small patient cohort.