ALUVia: ALUminium oxide integrated photonic platform for applications in the UltraViolet
Advancement in chip technology depends on rapid developments in various fields. A determining field is that of photonic integration, which enables the reduction of size and cost of optical systems while increasing robustness, maintaining performance and enabling scalability. These features are crucial in fields such as telecom/datacom, 5G communications and optical biosensing.
The EIC-funded project ALUVia is developing a novel European platform for testing photonic integration technologies. The integrated photonic platform will become a key-enabling technology for applications operating in the UV wavelength range. This will ultimately enable miniaturization, cost reduction and scalability, while system performance is maintained.
To demonstrate the platform’s excellent performance, two technologies were selected: UV Raman spectrometers and quantum computers based on ion traps, typically with operation at ultraviolet wavelengths. These emerging applications would highly benefit from the scaling and size reduction allowed by photonic integration. Current commercial spectrometers and quantum computers are bulky, costly, extremely complex and non-scalable systems. This limits their potential scientific, economic and societal impact by preventing their large-scale market penetration.
Dr. Dawson Bonneville (University of Twente): "By advancing this platform, applications in quantum, metrology, sensing, datacom and others will be enabled, which all have huge impacts on the future of society and our planet."
Impact
ALUVia will establish the first European Al2O3-on-SiO2 (aluminum oxide on silicon dioxide) integrated photonic platform for operation in the ultraviolet (UV) wavelength region. It further aims to mature the technology, including packaging, so that it can be offered commercially. Technology performance will be shown via two demonstrators:
- A UV Waveguide-based Raman spectrometer;
- A multi-ion trap for quantum computers.
The successful completion of the ALUVia project will place Europe in a leadership position in UV integrated photonics.
More info: https://aluvia-project.eu/
