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Silicon photonic ICs for prototyping and volume production

Imec offers an integrated silicon photonics platform targeted to the telecom, datacom and medical diagnostics industries: our silicon photonics platform (iSiPP).

The iSiPP platform co-integrates a wide variety of passive and active components, enabling competitive photonic integrated circuits for short reach optical interconnects.

Get access to small-volume manufacturing and prototyping by leveraging imec's mature iSiPP50G platform through imec.IC-link's MPW service. And volume production thanks to our strategic partnership with SilTerra.

Three flavors of iSiPP

Imec's iSiPP platform is SOI-based and comes in three distinct flavors:

  • iSiPP200: 200mm (8”) full platform (see table below)
  • iSiPP50G: 200mm (8”) simplified platform/flow (see table below)
  • iSiPP300: options with TSV (through silicon via), microbumps and embedded microbumps are available in a 300mm (12”) platform

In 2023, imec's silicon photonics platform received an important upgrade through the co-integration of its high-quality silicon nitride waveguide technology – without performance degradation of the high-bandwidth active devices.

Read the press release

Via the Transverse pilot line, integration of III-V SOAs, and laser and LNO modulators is available through micro-transfer printing.

Also, together with III-V expert Sivers Photonics and equipment supplier ASMPT, imec succeeded in developing flip-chip bonded InP lasers on silicon photonic ICs, at wafer scale.

 
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Prototyping services

 iSiPP50GiSiPP200
Access modelMPWDedicated run 
FunctionalityBasic (23 modules)Full (30 modules) 
Silicon delivery20 dies for 1 standard block (5.15mm x 5.15mm) or larger, 10 for Half block or Quarter blockFull wafers (minimum 15) 
Run timingFixed (2 runs per year)Flexible, upon request 
Minimum areaQuarter block (2.5mm x 2.5mm)Full reticle (21.5mm x 18.5mm) 
Metrology/testStandard testStandard test
+ dedicated test [optional]
 
CustomizationLimited (upon availability)Options available (Fully Flexible) 
Cost sharingMask and processingNone 
 
 

Volume production

Thanks to the strategic partnership of imec with SilTerra, you can process advanced silicon photonic circuits designed in imec’s PDK, in large volumes in a commercial 200mm foundry. You can also insert state-of-the-art add-ons that are only available at imec – because of the wafer exchange between imec and SilTerra.

Building blocks that are available for this technology transfer include:

  • 193nm lithography-based multi-level silicon patterning
  • Si p-n diode phase shifters for high-speed Mach-Zehnder and ring modulators
  • Ge photodetectors
  • W heaters with optional substrate undercut
  • 2 levels of Cu metal interconnect
  • Si, SiN or SiON edge couplers
  • encapsulated local substrate undercut

Key technology parameters

  • Starting substrate: Silicon-on-insulator with 220nm Si / 2000nm BOX
  • 3-level Si & 1-level poly-Si patterning with 193nm lithography
  • 6-level silicon doping & 2-level Ge doping
  • Ge-on-Si RPCVD epitaxy
  • 2-level Cu interconnects + Al bondpad
  • Deep-Si etch for edge coupling

Available devices

  • Traveling–wave Mach-Zehnder p-n modulator
  • Ge(Si) electro-absorption modulator
  • Micro-ring p-n modulator
  • Waveguide-based Ge-on-Si detectors
  • Fiber coupling:
    • Vertical “raised” grating
    • C-band edge coupler
  • Passive waveguide-based devices such as filters
  • Integrated heaters

At imec bright people build a bright future.

You could be one of these builders. Whether you are an engineer or an operator, a consultant or PhD student, we need a versatile group of people to help us create positive change.

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