GOOD NEWS AS PIXEUROPE LAUNCHES: Today, November 7th, the European Union has made a decisive step in strengthening its semiconductor and photonics landscape. The Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) has officially entered negotiations to establish PIXEurope – the Advanced Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) Pilot Line for Europe.
PIXEurope aims to be the world’s first Open-Access ecosystem for photonic integrated circuits, uniting Europe’s leading research organisations. This pilot line will pioneer cutting-edge PIC technologies, spanning chip design and fabrication to packaging and reliability testing.
Funding & Support: This ambitious project is backed by the European Union through Horizon Europe and Digital Europe Programmes, alongside Member States and private sector partners. The collaborative effort aligns with the objectives of the Chips for Europe Initiative, promoting capacity building and innovation in Europe.
Leadership & Vision: Jari Kinaret, Executive Director of Chips JU, noted , “This selection is an important step for the semiconductor industry and Europe’s capacity in producing photonic integrated circuits.” The pilot lines will accelerate process development, test and experimentation, and validation of design concepts. Their implementation is expected to bridge the gap from lab to fab and will be available to many users, including academia, industry and research institutions.
Who’s Involved? Coordinated by the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO), the 20-member consortium includes key players from Spain, Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium, Portugal, Poland, Austria, Italy, France and the United Kingdom.
Next Steps: The Chips JU will engage with the consortium to finalise Hosting Agreements, Joint Procurement Agreements, and related Grant Agreements.
This move marks PIXEurope as the fifth pilot line under the Chips JU umbrella, set to collaborate closely with existing Pilot Lines, Design Platforms, and Competence Centres. Now, it's time for action. There is a tremendous amount of work to do.
