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Photonics

Advancing photonic technologies for next-generation telecoms and quantum applications

Our photonics team are experts in the modelling, testing and validation of compound semiconductor technologies found in Future Telecoms and quantum hardware.

As a neutral and trusted convener, we provide a range of testing services from wafer to device level, providing a comprehensive combination of services that can only be found at CSA Catapult.  

Through our know-how, extensive experience and state-of-the-art equipment and labs, we help you advance your photonics technologies and applications and find innovative and novel solutions to the problems you may face. 

Our cutting-edge methods, tools and techniques provide you with invaluable data and insight to help validate and improve your devices and speed up the time to market.   

Joe Gannicliffe

head of photonics

“As we harness the power of light to send data at faster and faster speeds, integrated photonic devices will provide the foundation on which new technologies and applications will be built.  

“These devices will also be a critical component of quantum hardware that will enable a whole host of new applications across the communications industry. 

“By using compound semiconductors, we will achieve all of this with smaller, faster and more efficient devices, creating more resilient networks and accelerating our journey to Net Zero.” 

Modelling

We provide access to a suite of optical, thermal, structural and electromagnetic simulation tools to enable you to refine your design in software before committing to a hardware design. 

We also provide early-stage prototyping for photonics and quantum applications and can further miniaturise optical systems through access to our photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design expertise.

Characterisation

01 | 03

Wafer level testing

We provide solutions for assessing the performance and quality of your photonic devices at the early stages of the manufacturing process. 

Our wafer level testing allows you to evaluate the functionality, reliability and consistency of photonic components directly on the wafer before they are diced and packaged.  

This enables us to identify defects, optimise process parameters and ensure high yields, ultimately reducing production costs and time-to-market. 

Capabilities: 

  • Automated optical coupling 
  • Electrical and optical measurements  
  • Wafer level mapping 

02 | 03

Optical communications

We provide a comprehensive suite of testing capabilities for photonics components involved in high-speed optical communications, such as optical transceivers and laser sources.  

Our state-of-the-art equipment is used to assess key performance parameters such as bandwidth, modulation speed, signal integrity and noise characteristics. 

Testing under various operating conditions, including temperature and voltage fluctuations, allows us to uncover potential vulnerabilities and ensures high performance of the photonic device in the desired application. 

Capabilities: 

  • BER measurements 
  • Jitter 
  • Eye diagrams 
  • Extinction ratio 
  • Link budget 
  • Optical power 
  • Large signal modulation 
  • Cross talk between channels 

03 | 03

Quantum hardware

We provide access to advanced testing equipment and techniques to assess and validate the functionality, performance and properties of quantum hardware, such as single photon detectors (SPADs). 

This allows you to make system level engineering decisions to improve the performance and quality of your systems. 

We work with partners to develop highly sensitive and reliable SPADs across a range of application areas, such as 3D LiDAR and imaging, quantum sensing, optical communications, quantum clocks and quantum computing. 

Capabilities: 

  • IV and voltage threshold 
  • Dark count rate (DCR) 
  • Photon detection efficiency (PDE) 
  • After pulsing probability 
  • Temperature effects 

Validation

Lifetime and reliability

We generate meaningful test data to provide an accurate and reliable measurement of the lifetime and manufacturing yield of your device. 

Our novel products and state-of-the-art testing facilities are used to test the robustness and reliability of manufacturing processes for compound semiconductor devices, helping you to de-risk the development of new products and ultimately save costs. 

We also provide accelerated ageing testing of photonics devices to evaluate their lifetime, enabling you to make accurate predictions of the maintenance or component replacement of your product. 

Capabilities: 

  • Device lifetime through accelerated ageing process 
  • Device manufacturing yield through screening of early faulty device (burn-in process) 

Integration

We work closely with our advanced packaging team on the integration of photonics devices into robust and reliable packages which enable devices to meet their full potential. 

Our advanced packaging team has a wealth of specialist materials, process and assembly expertise in optoelectronic system integration to support a wide variety of photonics applications. 

Our team have an in-depth understanding of the extreme demands of emerging photonic technologies, such as sub-micron alignment and placement accuracy for optical components. 

Our bespoke packaging solutions consider the complex requirements of a photonics device, including effective thermal management, tight tolerance optical and electrical interconnects, aligning and bonding optoelectronic components with specialist assembly materials, epoxies and sealants in a highly stable package housing. 

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Photonics

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We are experts in the design, modelling, characterisation and validation of photonics devices, from laser emitters to photonic integrated circuits and quantum hardware.

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We provide a unique capability in advanced packaging for UK industry. We deliver bespoke solutions to the many complexities associated with compound semiconductor devices.

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Get in touch

To learn more about how we can work together, get in touch with a member of our team today.

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