How to bring photonic chips to the market faster?
PIC Summit 2024: Industry leaders stress the need for deeper European cooperation and government support to accelerate the photonic chip industry’s growth.
More than 700 leaders from the semiconductor and photonic chip industry are meeting in Eindhoven in one of the largest summits of its kind to discuss the future of the industry.
PIC Summit Europe, organised by photonic chip industry accelerator PhotonDelta, is covering a range of issues and opportunities surrounding photonic chip technology and its applications. Senior leaders are debating how photonic and electronic chip industries can work together to further integrate chips by standardising processes and breaking down barriers.
Photonic chips have the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional semiconductor technology, which is crucial for driving the innovation necessary for the sustainable development of AI. They can also significantly improve performance and reduce energy consumption in data centres, accelerate advancements in quantum computing, and introduce new sensing solutions across various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and the automotive industry.
The summit is featuring keynotes and panels with leaders including the Acting Director Enabling and Emerging Technologies of the EU Commission Gustav Kalbe, Acting Director-General of Economic Affairs Tjerk Opmeer, Airbus Head of Technology Sytze Kampen, Principal Technology Analyst at Sony Faisal Kamran, and Head of Silicon Photonics at Nokia Bell Labs Nicolas Fontaine.
In his address, Gustav Kalbe said “You can see how ubiquitous applications for integrated photonics are becoming. They’re becoming a fundamental building block. The need is ever-increasing, and ever-critical because photonics underpins so many other technologies.”
“Integrated photonics remains a key European focus,” he continued. “But it’s important that we come together to coordinate and collaborate – between member states and across the industry.”
PhotonDelta also unveiled a new initiative to encourage much needed talent into the integrated photonics industry. A new jobs board, information portal and online campaign aims to promote opportunities within the sector to help it reach its potential. It follows PhotonDelta and Wevolver’s announcement of a new €50,000 Global Photonic Engineering Contestto find photonic chip applications that tackle global challenges.
Eelko Brinkhoff, CEO of PhotonDelta, said: “Photonic chip technology offers solutions to big societal challenges in areas such as mobility, energy, climate change, food and health. The hurdle we need to overcome is bringing these solutions to market faster. To do this we need a holistic approach which combines public and private funding, entrepreneurship and international cooperation. This is why PIC Summit Europe has placed a strong focus on stimulating cooperation between photonic and electronic chip industries, academics, industry leaders, policymakers, and value chain partners, from material suppliers to end-users.
“The Summit has generated a wealth of new ideas and initiatives that cover everything from photonic chip technology and its applications, integration with semiconductors, through to standardisation, public and private funding and government support. I would call on European companies, government bodies and academic organisations to listen to these ideas and work together to drive the industry forward.”
