Thin film lithium niobate foundry
Thin film lithium niobate foundry
QCi built a first of its kind foundry devoted to processing thin film lithium niobate (TFLN) and other transition metal ferroelectrics in Tempe, Arizona. We closely work with our clients on conventional TFLN projects and also undertake highly custom engagements that leverage our extensive design, fabrication and characterization expertise.
Thin film lithium niobate is rapidly emerging as a key enabler for the next generation of telecom/datacom hardware supporting data rates of 1.6 Tbps, 3.2 Tbps and beyond. TFLN modulators operate at a low Vπ-length product, thereby facilitating low power consumption and reducing the device size. TFLN is also ideal for high-density heterogeneous integration and optical copackaging. Furthermore, nonlinear optical devices based on periodically poled lithium niobate (PPLN) will give rise to transformative technologies for quantum computing, remote sensing, and quantum imaging.
To discuss the scope of your project and ways of collaborating with the QCi Foundry, please connect with us.
What we make
The foundry offers both front and back end capabilities for photonic integrated circuits (PICs), including packaging for a 150 mm wafer line. We further support many of our customers throughout the entirety of their project offering design, simulation, and characterization services for TFLN devices. The most common devices fabricated at QCi are EOMs, phase modulators, ring resonators and filters, non-linear PPLN waveguides and microrings, and many more.
Passive devices (Micro rings)
Linear devices (EOMs)
Non-linear devices (PPLN)
Enabling integrated photonics
Thin film lithium niobate, or TFLN, is a crystalline material with large optical nonlinearities. TFLN is at the forefront of miniaturizing optical systems and significantly extending the capabilities of bulk lithium niobate, which has been an industry standard for over 60 years as the active element in transducers.
Using our proprietary etching methods, QCi optimized the TFLN etch processes and achieve an impressive 0.3 nm sidewall roughness.
QCi is actively developing a comprehensive library of TFLN components and PDKs. The image above is from an FDTD simulation of a microring resonator.
The future of integrated photonics
Thin film lithium niobate (TFLN) has many benefits for both photonic and quantum technologies. Its unique optical properties allow for faster, more efficient control of light, which is essential in quantum computing and communication. By integrating TFLN into our own quantum technology, we are able to leverage these benefits to enhance the precision and performance of our systems.
High Density Encoding
TFLN can extend the modulation bandwidth and efficiency of existing telecom infrastructure without extending the spectral range.It also enables 200 Gb+ per lane encoding resulting in high baud rates for 1.6 and 3.2 terabit devices.
Power Efficiency
TFLN offers a considerable advantage for energy efficiency (and greenhouse gas reduction) which stems from ultra-low insertion and propagation losses and low driving voltages (differential driving with CMOS allows sub-volt modulation). TFLN’s unprecedented modulation efficiency enables fast switching which consumes less than five femtojoules per bit.
Heterogeneous Integration
TFLN is ideal for high density integration with CMOS via flip-chip bonding as well as other emerging bonding and packaging techniques. This capability extends the lifetime of pluggables and further enables copackaged optics. The ability to fabricate diverse linear, nonlinear and electro-optical components on the TFLN PIC, and the compatibility with CMOS devices, further enables integration with existing infrastructure.