Open-Innovation Photonics pilot for NWE

Project Summary

The Interreg NWE project OIP4NWE aims at establishing an open innovation pilot line for the development of generic photonic integration technology. Integrated photonics is the emerging technology where the manipulation of light takes place on a chip, making the components an order of magnitude cheaper, smaller and more energy-efficient compared to today’s solutions. By providing these services to SMEs across Europe, the project reduces PIC access barriers and strengthens the competitiveness and innovativeness of European SME sustainably on the global markets.

As application of PICs grows, North-West Europe needs to stay ahead. Therefore, intense collaboration between innovation stakeholders at transnational level is an important goal of the project. In OIP4NWE, equipment manufacturers, a pure-play foundry and researchers collaborate to establish an infrastructure and processes dedicated to the pilot production of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) based on Indium Phosphide. The capabilities will include packaging and external optics as well.

OIP4NWE consists of 11 full partners and 1 associated partner distributed over the Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium, Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Events

OIP4NWE WebTalk on PIC technology and Innovation Support Funds

10-02-2021 - 10-02-2021, Zoom

An open innovation pilot line for InP-based Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) is currently being established in Europe. All three parts of the pilot line – PIC manufacturing, ext... Read more

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News

Innovation support fund launched for SME uptake of photonic integration technology

Posted on 20-01-2021

Innovation support for SMEs to mature their photonics products via open innovation framework The open innovation program OIP4NWE launches its innovation support fund to stimulate ... Read more

Open innovation strengthens photonics chip manufacturing

Posted on 25-01-2021

A new AIXTRON epitaxy system has been delivered to Nanolab@TU/e for the open innovation program OIP4NWE. The epitaxy reactor is a big step forward in equipment development suitable... Read more

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Project Partners

Lead partner

Organisation Address Email Website
Eindhoven University of Technology 19 Groene Loper
Eindhoven
5612 AP
Netherlands 		v.calzadilla@tue.nl www.tue.nl/en
Name Contact Name Email Country
AIXTRON SE Michael Heuken M.Heuken@aixtron.com Germany
Photonics Bretagne David Méchin dmechin@photonics-bretagne.com France
Vrije Universiteit Brussel Jürgen Van Erps jurgen.van.erps@vub.be Belgium
SMART Photonics Luc Augustin luc.augustin@smartphotonics.nl Netherlands
Tyndall National Institute Peter O'Brien peter.obrien@tyndall.ie Ireland
VTEC Lasers & Sensors Jan Mink jan@vtec-ls.nl Netherlands
PhotonFirst Jelmer Weda jelmer.weda@photonfirst.com Netherlands
mBryonics Limited David Mackey david@mbryonics.com Ireland
Oxford Instruments nanotechnology Tools Ltd Robert Gunn robert.gunn@oxinst.com United Kingdom
NanoMicroMaterialsPhotonics.NRW Cluster c/o NMWP Management GmbH Dirk Kalinowski dirk.kalinowski@nmwp.de Germany
Photon Delta Ewit Roos ewit@photondelta.eu Netherlands
See all projects

News

Events

The TransNational Network – your single entry point to the world of PICs

Photonics is an emerging technology with a potential multitrillion market. Innovative small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are at the forefront of this development, but the R&D costs are prohibitive for them. That’s why 12 partners from northwestern Europe are creating an open access pilot line that will drastically reduce costs and time for the pilot production of new products. The 14 million euro project (OIP4NWE) is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and kicked off in November, 2018 in Eindhoven.

Within the OIP4NWE project, a TransNational Network (TNN) of existing organisations has been built, active in engaging with SMEs in the implementation in the implementation of integrated photonics.

Consisting of some partners in this project and other additional support organisations not included in the project, the Network will be expanding over the life time of the project in order to reach new markets and increase the projects outreach.

An organisation joining the TNN will benefit from early identification of business opportunities, connecting to Digital Innovation Hubs, avail of knowledge and expertise in PIC technology and benefit from the pilot line established within the project OIP4NWE.

The TNN will be active in soliciting candidates for the voucher scheme, leading to 7 SMEs using the Pilot Line for PIC manufacturing. The TNN also supports the internal relationships between key work packages of the project, the vouchers to increase the outreach of the call for proposals and communications – the TransNational Network will be the project’s dissemination instrument and will promote open innovation collaboration. After project end, the TNN will remain in operation to serve as marketing instrument for attracting SMEs making use of the pilotline and other parts of the ecosystem.

Therefore, the TransNational Network is an important tool to reach the projects goals, increase the visibility of the emerging pilot line and the partners activities and gain sustainable success of the services offered within OIP4NWE.

Perfectly set from the beginning

But the TransNational Network doesn’t need to be set up from scratch – the project partners already include leading photonic innovation hubs and support organisations in the NWE region, and the task leader has approached EPIC (European Photonics Industry Consortium), a leading support organisation with a global presence, to include the TransNational Network in future outreach and dissemination activities. EPIC are the outreach and dissemination leaders for MIRPHAB, PIXAPP and JePPIX photonic pilot lines. In addition EPIC has a wide membership within the photonics industries and organise and attend multiple events including events, in USA and Asia.

That is why the TransNational Network has already started its work and represents the Interreg NWE project OIP4NWE internationally even before the network and their members themselves go public to introduce the TNN.

The TNN Partners

1 Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (Eindhoven, NL)

Role:

RTO

 

Responsibilities:

Coordinator for JePPIX and the JePPIX Pilot Line

2 Photonics Bretagne (Lannion, F)

Role:

Photonic Innovation Hub

 

Responsibilities:

Outreach and dissemination

3 Vrije Universiteit Brussels (Brussels, B)

Role:

RTO

 

Responsibilities:

Coordinator for ACTPHAST4.0, task leader for Voucher WP

4 Tyndall National Institute (Coordinator, Cork, IE)

Role:

Create and expand TNN, collaboration and support from PIXAPP pilot line

 

Responsibilities:

Task Lead/RTO

5 Cluster NanoMikroWerkstoffePhotonik.NRW (Düsseldorf, D)

Role:

Photonic support organisation

 

Responsibilities:

Outreach and dissemination

6 Photon Delta Cooperatie (Eindhoven, NL)

Role:

Photonic Innovation Hub

 

Responsibilities:

Outreach and dissemination

7 European Photonics Industry Consortium (Paris, F)

Role:

Photonic support organisation

 

Responsibilities:

Outreach and dissemination

8 Photonics 21 (Düsseldorf, D)

Role:

Photonic support organisation

 

Responsibilities:

Outreach and dissemination

9 Knowledge Transfer Network – Innovate UK (London, UK)

Role:

Photonic support organisation

 

Responsibilities:

Outreach and dissemination

OIP4NWE Vouchers – be one of the first to benefit from the newly set-up Open Innovation PIC pilot line!

The open innovation program OIP4NWE has launched its innovation support fund to stimulate uptake of integrated photonics technology by SMEs. By providing innovation support to SMEs across North-West Europe, OIP4NWE contributes to the competitiveness and innovativeness of European SMEs on the global markets. Seven SMEs are eligible for receiving innovation support and working together with OIP4NWE’s partners in an open innovation framework to help mature their PIC-based product. The technical support includes manufacturing of photonic integrated circuits (PICs),  including external optics and packaging.

When is the call for vouchers opening?

The call is now open and submission deadline is 15/04/2021. Please also submit an expression of interest if you plan to apply, such that we can do an eligibility check early on.

 

What are the eligibility criteria to access the voucher call?

  1. The applicant should be a small or medium-sized entreprise (SME), according to the European definition, which can be found at https://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/sme-definition
  2. The applicant should be based in the North-West Europe region, as defined on https://www.nweurope.eu/about-the-programme/the-nwe-area/
  3. The applicant should have demonstrated the technical feasibility of their application proposal, i.e. the applicant should have a PIC design ready and preferably a validated prototype. This means that the technology readiness level (TRL) of their current PIC should be 4 or higher. Proposals for proof-of-concept type demonstrators are not eligible.
  4. The applicant should demonstrate a business case for scale-up to volume production and/or how the funded project will positively impact their future business, either through increased revenues or through the creation of new jobs.
  5. The applicant should comply with the minimis criterion for state aid and provide a self-declaration to that end. A “De Minimis” award letter will be issued by the OIP4NWE consortium when complying.
  6. The applicant should submit a fully completed “Voucher application form” and should sign a “Proxy NDA” to allow evaluation of the proposal by the OIP4NWE voucher selection committee.
  7. Voucher recipients should agree to collaborate on documenting their use case. This is to be used as dissemination material to attract other users of the pilot line, during as well as after the project.

 

What does the voucher cover?

  1. Design verification to check compatibility of the PIC design with the OIP4NWE pilot line
  2. Manufacturing of the PICs, external optics and packaging

 

Which documentes do I need?

  1. Voucher expression of interest (Microsoft Word document)
  2. Voucher application form (Microsoft Word document)


How can I get into contact for further questions or a voucher application?

Please contact the leader of the OIP4NWE voucher scheme workpackage:


Jürgen Van Erps

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

voucher@oip4nwe.eu

 

WebTalk on PIC technology and Innovation Support Funds

OIP4NWE – Pilot line for enhanced and scalable photonic integration technology.

 

Integrated photonics is the emerging technology where the manipulation of light takes place on a chip, making the components an order of magnitude cheaper, smaller and more energy-efficient compared to today’s solutions.

By providing these services to SMEs across Europe, the partners of the OIP4NWE project reduce PIC access barriers and strengthen the competitiveness and innovativeness of European SME sustainably on the global markets by setting up a pilot-line. To further support SMEs in the first experience in the field of photonic integrated circuits, a voucher call has been established.

This is how you can benefit from the technology with a minimum of risk:

To show the great impact of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) on the markets and to illustrate the high potential of this technological approach, the OIP4NWE consortium invites you to series of webinars, where stakeholders from different PIC application fields give insights in technological demands and opportunities and discuss the improvements by using the pic technology.

An additional Webinar focusses especially on the technological specifications of the OIP4NWE pilot line as well as on the voucher call and how you can benefit from these. In this virtual meeting, all project partners will be available to answer your specific questions.

Become active and get in touch with photonic integrated circuits.

 

Past WebTalks

31 Mar 2021 - 10:00 (CEST): WebTalk on PICs for fiber optic sensing applications

Integrated photonics is the emerging technology where the manipulation of light takes place on a chip, making the components an order of magnitude cheaper, smaller and more energy-efficient compared to today’s solutions.

To show the great impact of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) on the markets and to illustrate the high potential of this technological approach, the OIP4NWE consortium invites you to series of webinars, where stakeholders from different PIC application fields give insights in technological demands and opportunities and discuss the improvements by using the pic technology.

In the OIP4NWE WebTalk „PICs for fiber optic sensing applications“ Jelmer Weda (PhotonFirst) will give an exciting insight into integrated optical solutions for optical sensors.

The WebTalk takes place at Wednesday, 31th March 2021, 10:00 – 11:00 (CEST).

 

Agenda

Welcome and introduction (5 min.)
Marija Trajkovic
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)

Measuring with light - Fiber optic sensing applications (20 min.)
Jelmer Weda
PhotonFirst

PhotonFirst is expert in measuring the world with light. The talk is about the use of fiber optics sensors in combination with the most advanced and in-house developed interrogator systems based on Photonics Integrated Circuits using spectrometry and interferometry principles for improved resolution, minitiaturization, reduced energy consumption and cost.

Open discussion (20 min.)

Introduction of the Innovation Support Fund and how to apply (5 min.)
Prof. Jürgen van Erps
Vrije Universiteit Brussel

 

 

Press on the picture to download the presentation slides

 

10 Feb 2021 - 10:00 (CET): WebTalk on PIC technology and Innovation Support Funds

Integrated photonics is the emerging technology where the manipulation of light takes place on a chip, making the components an order of magnitude cheaper, smaller and more energy-efficient compared to today’s solutions.

An open innovation pilot line for InP-based Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) is currently being established in Europe. All three parts of the pilot line – PIC manufacturing, external optics, packaging - and the technical details will be presented by the partners in this WebTalk. Get in-depth first-hand information on how to get the most out of the pilot line for your business.

An additional innovation support fund launched for SMEs. The call for proposals of the OIP4NWE project will be explained and all questions from interested SMEs will be answered by the consortium during the WebTalk.

The OIP4NWE WebTalk takes place at Wednesday, 10th February 2021, 10:00 – 12:00 (CET).

 

Agenda

Welcome and introduction
Dr. Victor Dolores-Calzadilla
Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)

Manufacturing of Photonic Integrated Circuits
Nazanin Shafiee
SMART Photonics

Optical interfacing of PICs with the outside world
Prof. Jürgen van Erps
Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Integrated Photonics Packaging
Donal Behal
Tyndall National Institute

Introduction of the Innovation Support Fund and how to apply
Prof. Jürgen van Erps
Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Open discussion

 

Press on the picture to download the presentation slides

03 Feb 2021 - 10:00 (CET): Webinar on PICs for Medical Devices and in Life Science applications

Integrated photonics is the emerging technology where the manipulation of light takes place on a chip, making the components an order of magnitude cheaper, smaller and more energy-efficient compared to today’s solutions.

To show the great impact of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) on the markets and to illustrate the high potential of this technological approach, the OIP4NWE consortium invites you to series of webinars, where stakeholders from different PIC application fields give insights in technological demands and opportunities and discuss the improvements by using the pic technology.

In the OIP4NWE WebTalk „PICs for Medical Devices and in Life Science applications“ Prof. Wolfgang Drexler (Medical University Vienna) and Prof. C. Ronda (Philips) will give an exciting insight into integrated optical solutions for Medical Devices and Life Science Applications.

 

Agenda

Welcome (10 min.)
Dr. Victor Dolores-Calzadilla - Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)

Towards Optical Coherence Tomography on a Chip (15 min.)
Prof. Wolfgang Drexler - Center of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Medical University Vienna, Austria

In the last three decades optical coherence tomography (OCT) has established itself as a unique non-invasive, optical medical diagnostic imaging modality, enabling unprecedented in vivo cross-sectional tomographic visualization of internal microstructure in a variety of biological systems. Ophthalmology has been the most successful and commercially most active medical field for OCT so far, but several other OCT applications, e.g. in cardiology, dentistry, gastroenterology or dermatology, are on the verge of expanding their market comparable to or larger than that of ophthalmology.
Recently OCT has also been based on photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology to not only reduce footprint, but also to enable miniaturized, maintenance free operation in a variety of new applications.

Photonic integration and societal challenges (15 min.)
Prof. Cees Ronda – Philips

Sensors are the interface between the physical and the digital world. In this talk, I will address sensor approaches and some sensor challenges that Philips faces in improving people’s lives.

Open Discussion (15 min.)
Giuseppe Coppola – PhotonDelta

OIP4NWE Voucher Introduction (15 min.)
Prof. Jürgen van Erps - Vrije Universiteit Brussel

 

Press on the picture to download the presentation slides

27 Jan 2021 - 10:00 (CET): Webinar on PICs in Data and Telecom applications

Integrated photonics is the emerging technology where the manipulation of light takes place on a chip, making the components an order of magnitude cheaper, smaller and more energy-efficient compared to today’s solutions.

To show the great impact of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) on the markets and to illustrate the high potential of this technological approach, the OIP4NWE consortium invites you to series of webinars, where stakeholders from different PIC application fields give insights in technological demands and opportunities and discuss the improvements by using the pic technology.

In the OIP4NWE WebTalk „Optical solutions for radio access networks: where could integrated photonics help?“ Mr. Antonio Tartaglia, system manager and technology expert from Ericsson will give an exciting insight into optical solutions for radio access networks.

The OIP4NWE WebTalk „Optical solutions for radio access networks: where could integrated photonics help?" starts at

Wednesday, 27th January 2021, 10:00 (CET).

 

Agenda

Welcome (10 min.)
Dr. Victor Dolores-Calzadilla - Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e)

Optical solutions for radio access networks: where could integrated photonics help? (20 min.)
Antonio Tartaglia
System Manager and Technology Expert – Ericsson

The talk will cover state of the art and future challenges in optical transmission solutions for Radio Access Networks, touching on similarities and differences with solutions for data centers and indicating the areas in which integrated photonics could come to the rescue.”

Open Discussion (15 min.)
Giuseppe Coppola – PhotonDelta

OIP4NWE Voucher Introduction (15 min.)
Prof. Jürgen van Erps - Vrije Universiteit Brussel

 

Press on the picture to download the presentation slides

Additional webinars on further applications fields, like “Infrastructure and Transportation” as well as “Food and Agriculture” will follow shortly. If you have an idea for additional applications or you want to give a presentation, don't hesitate to contact us.

 

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