Written by Dominika Niewczas,Kamil Pierściński and Michał Rękawek
Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) use light to transmit and process information. But how does a design developed on a computer become a functional photonic integrated circuit? At Łukasiewicz – IMiF, this is one of the challenges we address as part of the BLOSSOM project.
From simulation to physical structures
The process begins with design and simulation. Researchers develop and optimize photonic structures, using simulations to predict how light will behave inside the circuit before fabrication begins. This helps identify promising solutions and reduces the need for costly trial and error.
The next step is to turn the design into real, physical structures. This involves several carefully controlled fabrication processes.
Photolithography uses light to transfer patterns onto a material, etching removes selected parts of the material to create the desired structures, and thin-film deposition adds extremely thin layers to the surface. By combining these techniques, researchers can create the tiny and precise features needed to guide and control light inside photonic circuits.
Precision makes the difference
Fabricating photonic integrated circuits is not simply a matter of reproducing a computer design. The accuracy and repeatability of each manufacturing step can influence the performance of the final device. For this reason, fabrication must be closely connected with testing and validation.
By measuring manufactured components and comparing their performance with simulation results, researchers can identify areas for improvement and refine subsequent designs. This iterative process helps bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and practical devices.
IMiF’s contribution to BLOSSOM
Within BLOSSOM, Łukasiewicz – IMiF contributes to the development and fabrication of photonic components and electro-optical interfaces. This work supports the project’s broader ambition: to explore ways of recovering optical energy that would otherwise be lost inside photonic integrated circuits and reusing it to reduce their external power requirements.
Combining design, fabrication and experimental validation is an important step towards photonic technologies that make more efficient use of light – not only to process information, but also to help power the systems that use it.
