CORNERSTONE 2
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Southampton
Department Name: Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC)
Abstract
Southampton and Glasgow Universities currently contribute to a project entitled CORNERSTONE which has established a new Silicon Photonics fabrication capability, based on the Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) platform, for academic researchers in the UK. The project is due to end in December 2019, after which time the CORNERSTONE fabrication capability will be self-sustaining, with users paying for the service. Based upon demand from the UK's premier photonics researchers, this proposal seeks funding to extend the capability that is offered to UK researchers beyond the current SOI platforms, to include emerging Silicon Photonics platforms, together with capabilities facilitating integration of photonic circuits with electronics, lasers and detectors. These emerging platforms enable a multitude of new applications that have emerged over the past several years, some of which are not suitable for the SOI platform, and some of which complement the SOI platform by serving applications at other wavelengths. Southampton, and Glasgow universities will work together to bring the new platforms to a state of readiness to deliver the new functionality via a multi-project-wafer (MPW) mechanism to satisfy significantly increasing demand, and deliver them to UK academic users free of charge (to the user) for the final six months of the project, in order to establish credibility. This will encourage wider usage of world class equipment within the UK, in line with EPSRC policy. We seek funding for 3 PDRAs and 2 technicians across the 2 institutions, over a 2 year period, to facilitate access to a very significant inventory of equipment at these 2 universities, including access to UK's only deep-UV projection lithography capability. During this 2 year period, we will canvas UK demand for the capability to continue to operate as an EPSRC National Research Facility, and if so, to establish a statement of need. We currently have 50 partners/users providing in-kind support to a value of to £1,705,000 and cash to the value of £173,450.
Planned Impact
CORNERSTONE 2 will be the key enabler to enhance UK high impact research in Silicon Photonics using new materials platforms and fabrication process flexibility that is missing from current foundries. This grant will provide an effective fabrication capability via a multi-project-wafer service to increase productivity for users and partners alike to enable new research innovations via the new platforms made available in CORNERSTONE 2. Building on the success of the Silicon-on-Insulator platforms of CORNERSTONE, CORNERSTONE 2 will introduce new device and material platforms to address several of the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund challenges from Quantum technology to Healthcare, big data processing and autonomous vehicles. New silicon nitride, suspended structures, germanium-on-silicon, packaging and integration platforms provide more options for users and allow them to exploit new scientific opportunities, hence spreading a wider network of collaboration. The first to benefit from this project are the researchers who will be trained in the art of device design and knowledge in sophisticated fabrication techniques. We are building a skilled workforce to retain UK research infrastructure and remain competitive worldwide.
Therefore the primary beneficiaries of the project will be CORNERSTONE 2 users, i.e. UK researchers, who will have the opportunity to demonstrate their ideas in practical terms, fabricating proof of principle devices and circuits, via industry-like processes.
Because of its industry compatible processes, CORNERSTONE 2 is ideally placed to facilitate commercial exploitation by taking conceptual design to production with our partner foundry at CompoundTek, Singapore who will assist in technology transfer, and Luceda Photonics Ltd., a premier software company, to provide Process Design Kit access and training. This close proximity collaboration with industrial partners will benefit users by providing the chance to fabricate their devices at industrial standards and quality. In addition, new intellectual property ideas will be protected in collaborative manner, including licensing of fabrication methods or device designs for industrial uptake. The noteworthy academic and industry partnerships within CORNERSTONE 2 allow greater engagement with other trade groups, the Photonics Leadership Group and user networks such as SEPNET, a direct access route to high value equipment and processes offered in this project. The immense opportunities generated in this project will be measured by its annual output in term of number of users, devices fabricated and publications. The mechanisms for greater academic and industrial collaboration in this grant demonstrate its potential to sustain itself beyond the project life.
Working together with our academic and industrial users, we anticipate high quality outputs from journal publications, trade shows, road mapping exercise, press releases, keynote and invited talks, and conference presentations. To increase our worldwide presence, we will chair a dedicated CORNERSTONE 2 symposium at Photonex Europe 2020, coordinated by Xmark Media. Further promotion will be made via our website, MPW brokers Europractice and CUMEC, China, to strengthen our place as one of the world leaders for photonic device design and fabrication. These dissemination activities will accelerate research in photonics technology by supporting EPSRC's national priority areas as a Productive, Connected, Resilient and Healthy nation.
CORNERSTONE 2 will bring the societal impact of emerging Silicon Photonics technology more rapidly to fruition. Accelerated routes to market for UK products at the cutting edge of technology benefit society via earlier adoption, better exploitation and greater market share for UK companies. Similarly UK IP can be more rapidly exploited via UK or multinational companies, and CORNERSTONE 2 will enable such exploitation via proof of principle operational evidence.
Therefore the primary beneficiaries of the project will be CORNERSTONE 2 users, i.e. UK researchers, who will have the opportunity to demonstrate their ideas in practical terms, fabricating proof of principle devices and circuits, via industry-like processes.
Because of its industry compatible processes, CORNERSTONE 2 is ideally placed to facilitate commercial exploitation by taking conceptual design to production with our partner foundry at CompoundTek, Singapore who will assist in technology transfer, and Luceda Photonics Ltd., a premier software company, to provide Process Design Kit access and training. This close proximity collaboration with industrial partners will benefit users by providing the chance to fabricate their devices at industrial standards and quality. In addition, new intellectual property ideas will be protected in collaborative manner, including licensing of fabrication methods or device designs for industrial uptake. The noteworthy academic and industry partnerships within CORNERSTONE 2 allow greater engagement with other trade groups, the Photonics Leadership Group and user networks such as SEPNET, a direct access route to high value equipment and processes offered in this project. The immense opportunities generated in this project will be measured by its annual output in term of number of users, devices fabricated and publications. The mechanisms for greater academic and industrial collaboration in this grant demonstrate its potential to sustain itself beyond the project life.
Working together with our academic and industrial users, we anticipate high quality outputs from journal publications, trade shows, road mapping exercise, press releases, keynote and invited talks, and conference presentations. To increase our worldwide presence, we will chair a dedicated CORNERSTONE 2 symposium at Photonex Europe 2020, coordinated by Xmark Media. Further promotion will be made via our website, MPW brokers Europractice and CUMEC, China, to strengthen our place as one of the world leaders for photonic device design and fabrication. These dissemination activities will accelerate research in photonics technology by supporting EPSRC's national priority areas as a Productive, Connected, Resilient and Healthy nation.
CORNERSTONE 2 will bring the societal impact of emerging Silicon Photonics technology more rapidly to fruition. Accelerated routes to market for UK products at the cutting edge of technology benefit society via earlier adoption, better exploitation and greater market share for UK companies. Similarly UK IP can be more rapidly exploited via UK or multinational companies, and CORNERSTONE 2 will enable such exploitation via proof of principle operational evidence.
Organisations
- University of Southampton (Lead Research Organisation)
- Luceda Photonics (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- University of Malaga (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Fudan University (Collaboration)
- QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY BELFAST (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD (Collaboration)
- QUEEN MARY UNIVERSITY OF LONDON (Collaboration)
- University of Bristol (Collaboration)
- University of Manchester (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- University College London (Collaboration)
- Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF STRATHCLYDE (Collaboration)
- Ericsson (Sweden) (Project Partner)
- Chongqing United MicroElectronics Centre (Project Partner)
- Polytechnic University of Bari (Project Partner)
- Photonics Leadership Group (Project Partner)
- University of Bath (Project Partner)
- Optic2Connect Pte Ltd (Project Partner)
- University College Cork (Project Partner)
- University of Hong Kong (Project Partner)
- Bangor University (Project Partner)
- EPSRC NationalEpitaxyFacility (Project Partner)
- Optocap (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- University College London (Project Partner)
- Newcastle University (Project Partner)
- Compugraphics (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- University of Bristol (Project Partner)
- Rockley Photonics Limited (UK) (Project Partner)
- Consorzio Nazionale Interuniversitario per le Telecomunicazioni (Project Partner)
- Bright Photonics BV (Project Partner)
- Oxford Instruments (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- McMaster University (Project Partner)
- Swansea University (Project Partner)
- Camgraphic Ltd (Project Partner)
- Xmark Media (Project Partner)
- University of Sydney (Project Partner)
- Compound Semiconductor App. Catapult (Project Partner)
- University of Sussex (Project Partner)
- University of Nottingham (Project Partner)
- Imperial College London (Project Partner)
- University of Exeter (Project Partner)
- Loughborough University (Project Partner)
- Cardiff University (Project Partner)
- Photon Design (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- University of St Andrews (Project Partner)
- CompoundTek Pte Ltd (Project Partner)
- University of Oxford (Project Partner)
- IQE (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- University of Strathclyde (Project Partner)
- Lancaster University (Project Partner)
- University of Sheffield (Project Partner)
- Royal Holloway University of London (Project Partner)
- Nanyang Technological University (Project Partner)
- University of Cambridge (Project Partner)
- University of Tromsø - The Arctic University of Norway (Project Partner)
- Resolute Photonics (UK) Ltd (Project Partner)
- Bay Photonics Ltd (Project Partner)
Publications
Dinsdale N
(2021)
Deep Learning Enabled Design of Complex Transmission Matrices for Universal Optical Components
in ACS Photonics
Delaney M
(2020)
A New Family of Ultralow Loss Reversible Phase-Change Materials for Photonic Integrated Circuits: Sb 2 S 3 and Sb 2 Se 3
in Advanced Functional Materials
Mittal V
(2020)
Perspective on Thin Film Waveguides for on-Chip Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy of Liquid Biochemical Analytes.
in Analytical chemistry
Faneca J
(2020)
O-band N-rich silicon nitride MZI based on GST
in Applied Physics Letters
Littlejohns C
(2020)
CORNERSTONE's Silicon Photonics Rapid Prototyping Platforms: Current Status and Future Outlook
in Applied Sciences
Sia Jia Xu Brian
(2022)
Linear Optical Modulators for Prospective Communications at the 2 {\mu}m Waveband
in arXiv e-prints
Mittal V
(2020)
Ge on Si waveguide mid-infrared absorption spectroscopy of proteins and their aggregates.
in Biomedical optics express
Thomson D
(2020)
Silicon photonics for high data rate applications -INVITED
in EPJ Web of Conferences
Pant B
(2020)
Enhanced efficiency thermo-optic phase-shifter by using multi-mode-interference device
in EPJ Web of Conferences
| Description | The new platforms have been developed and deployed as multi-project wafer (MPW) services for the UK community. We are seeing good traction with users, particularly for the SiN platform that has record numbers of users. |
| Exploitation Route | The platforms are being utilised by UK researchers to develop their own research. For the first time in the UK, these platforms will be available as part of a flexible provision for researchers. Some of the resultant publications are cited in this return. |
| Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Energy,Environment,Healthcare |
| URL | https://www.cornerstone.sotonfab.co.uk/ |
| Description | CORNERSTONE's flexible, speedy photonics services helped Zero Point Motion Ltd scale up the development of their optical inertial sensors, enabling them to bid for further funding to take these products to market, with CORNERSTONE as a continuing project partner. They have now secured VC funding for further expansion. Other international users have also utilised the foundry services. There are now CORNERSTONE users in 21 countries. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Energy,Environment,Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Economic |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 |
| Amount | £1,494,157 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/T019697/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2020 |
| End | 02/2023 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 Enterprise Income - Rockley Photonics |
| Amount | £23,690 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Rockley Photonics |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 02/2021 |
| End | 09/2021 |
| Description | Impact Acceleration Account - PIC Training Kits |
| Amount | £39,998 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2022 |
| End | 07/2022 |
| Description | MISSION (Mid- Infrared Silicon Photonic Sensors for Healthcare and Environmental Monitoring) |
| Amount | £5,757,814 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/V047663/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 07/2021 |
| End | 06/2026 |
| Description | QUantum Dot On Silicon systems for communications, information processing and sensing (QUDOS) |
| Amount | £6,123,268 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/T028475/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2020 |
| End | 10/2025 |
| Description | Towards a revoltion in Optical Communications |
| Amount | £1,055,484 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/V012789/1 |
| Organisation | University of Southampton |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2021 |
| End | 01/2024 |
| Description | Towards a revolution in optical communications |
| Amount | £1,055,484 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | EP/V012789/1 |
| Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2021 |
| End | 03/2024 |
| Title | Open source Process Design Kit (PDK) of silicon photonics components |
| Description | The world's first open source database of silicon photonics components for a variety of silicon photonics platforms which enables other researchers to design circuits based on existing components with a known functionality and peformance. |
| Type Of Material | Computer model/algorithm |
| Year Produced | 2020 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Economic impact from increased number of paying users to the CORNERSTONE fabrication service |
| URL | https://www.cornerstone.sotonfab.co.uk/mpw-design-rules/process-design-kit-pdk |
| Title | Study into the spread of heat from thermo-optic silicon photonic elements |
| Description | Dataset to support article in Journal: Optics Express. Experimentally characterized and simulated data for heat spread from a heating element in Silicon photonics based Thermo-optics Phase shifter. https://doi.org/10.1364/OE.426748 |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/450868/ |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: Fudan University |
| Organisation | Fudan University |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of SiN photonic circuit |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of SiN photonic circuit |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: KAIST |
| Organisation | Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) |
| Country | Korea, Republic of |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of PICs |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of PICs |
| Impact | New PIC devices |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: Queen Mary |
| Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of SiN photonics chip |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of SiN photonics chip |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: Queens University |
| Organisation | Queen's University Belfast |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of SiN photonics chips |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of SiN photonics chip |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: UCL |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of SiN photonics chip |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of SiN photonics chip |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: University of Bristol |
| Organisation | University of Bristol |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of SiN photonics chip |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of SiN photonics chip |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: University of Cambridge |
| Organisation | University of Cambridge |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of SiN photonic circuit |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of photonic circuit |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: University of Malaga |
| Organisation | University of Malaga |
| Country | Spain |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of suspended Si chips |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of suspended Si chips |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: University of Manchester |
| Organisation | University of Manchester |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of SiN photonics chip |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of SiN photonics chip |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: University of Oxford |
| Organisation | University of Oxford |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of SiN photonics chip |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of SiN photonics chip |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE 2 User: University of Strathclyde |
| Organisation | University of Strathclyde |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Fabrication of SiN photonics chip |
| Collaborator Contribution | Design of SiN photonics chip |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | CORNERSTONE PDK provider |
| Organisation | Luceda Photonics |
| Country | Belgium |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Generation of open source photonics components design |
| Collaborator Contribution | Creation of PDK for researchers |
| Impact | / |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Description | Discussion Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | • February 2020: Reed contributed to a panel discussion, Photonics West, San Francisco 2020. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | LGBT STEM day |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | • July 2019: A talk from a scientist on "Diversity and Gender equality", and a discussion panel on Diversity issues, held in an LGBT friendly venue in Southampton City Centre. Funded by a grant from the OSA Foundation for Diversity and Inclusion as part of LGBT STEM day. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Women in Science |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | • February 2018: Soapbox: Women in Science at Bournemouth University |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Women into Technology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | • March 2018: Women into Technology event for International Women's Day, Sparsholt College, Winchester |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |