Salland Engineering participates in FLEXIT and MEKOPP funding projects
FLEXIT
There is a worldwide need for a next generation of photonic chips and an efficient, advanced and flexible production chain for photonic components, modules and systems.
The industrial infrastructure is not yet optimal and this is mainly because of the absence of a generic and effective solution for assembly, packaging and testing of photonic chips.
With a consortium of 11 dutch companies, each with experience in their own individual area, the FLEXIT project aims to streamline and apply crucial improvements to this supply chain. The individual processes: design, front-end processing, back-end assembly, packaging, testing and data management, will be improved and expanded with new methods, techniques and tools to increase manufacturing yield, drastically reduce costs and maintain delivery reliability.
To achieve this goal, Salland will develop a photonic test rack to validate the FLEXIT-method during PICs wafer test. Measurement results can be analysed with the data analysis tool DPLUS, which is also developed as part of this project.
MEKOPP
The goal of the MEKOPP project is to create a “sustainable economic growth of photonic integrated chips by making the metrology equipment market ready for efficient and sustainable production, supporting the digitalization and energy transition”. Integrated photonics (or PICs) is the key enabling technology which consists of chips that work with light (photons) instead of electricity (electrodes).
The MEKOPP project has a direct impact on sustainable production of PICs (Photonic Integrated Circuits) by reducing production defects. There is a potential to save 50% on materials, energy and water usage and the results of this project will (indirectly) contribute to market adoption and scale up of PICs.
To achieve this goal, two dedicated machines will be developed: a Photonics Test Prober and a Photonics Visual Inspection Tool. Salland will define and develop a specialised, photonic test rack containing instruments to simultaneously measure photonic and electrical parameters of PICs on wafer level. As part of this project Salland will also develop a tool to automate the execution of tests and to visualize the wafer measurement results in a real-time monitor/data viewer.