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About SAL

Integrated Photonics Technologies

Hände, die einen Wafer in der Hand halten.

Research Focus Areas

We advance integrated photonic technologies for high-performance communication, sensing, Co-Packaged Optics (CPO), and quantum applications.

Our unit provides end-to-end capabilities including design, modeling, fabrication, and characterization of photonic devices. We operate across key technology platforms such as thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN), aluminum nitride (AlN), meta-optics, mid-IR/III-V materials, and nonlinear optics. Using our state-of-the-art cleanroom infrastructure, we prototype devices such as photonic integrated circuits (PICs), meta-optic 3D imaging systems, and quantum photonic components. These technologies enable solutions for telecommunications, automotive, consumer electronics, and emerging quantum and sensing applications.

Research Expertise

We cover the full development chain of integrated photonic devices, with strong capabilities in advanced photonic integration.

 

Design & Simulation:

  • Design of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) with passive and active components
  • Platform definition and optimization (Si, SiN, TFLN, AlN, III-V, plasmonics)
  • PDK development and support for Multi Project Wafer (MPW) runs
  • Nano- and meta-optics design (metasurfaces, wavefront control, optical antennas)
  • Multiphysics modelling, inverse design, and AI-driven optimization

 

Fabrication:

  • 200 mm wafer-level fabrication of PICs and photonic platforms
  • TFLN, AlN, SiN and heterogeneous integration approaches
  • Fabrication for MPW runs and prototyping
  • Wafer-level optics and nanoimprint technologies (microlenses, metalenses, freeform optics)
  • Development of photonic integration building blocks for CPO

 

Characterization & Testing:

  • Device- and wafer-level electro-optical characterization
  • Performance testing (loss, bandwidth, full circuit validation)
  • Environmental and sensing system characterization
  • Broad spectral coverage (VIS, O-band, C-band, NIR, MIR)
  • Characterization services for MPW runs

Uses

Meta-optics for miniaturized sensing and 3D imaging applications

MIR and III-V technology for biological sensing applications

Quantum-optic devices for satellite quantum communication

TFLN PICs for CPO and Telecom applications

Projects

Opal

OPAL focused on the development of SAL's first integrated optical phased array system for LIDAR applications. Special attention was paid to the selection of the optical photonics platform to achieve low-loss operation with high bandwidth….

CoRaLi-DAR

As part of the EU-funded CoRaLi-DAR project, a low-cost, power-efficient, and reliable advanced sensor and ranging system is being developed as a platform for the automotive market and beyond. The project aims to combine both radio and light-based sensing in one module, leveraging the high-resolution capabilities of LiDAR and the high reliability of RADAR in adverse weather conditions. Translated with DeepL.com (free version)...

METAQUANT

The project focused on developing a new platform for generating a special type of light – so-called quantum light – using very thin structures, known as metasurfaces, which can produce entangled photon pairs with high efficiency….
All projects

Contact

Business Development
Lisa Kainz MA
Business Development Microsystems
Graz
+43 664 88 964 965
lisa.kainz@silicon-austria.com
Head of Research Unit
Paul Arts MSc
Head of Research Unit Integrated Photonics Technologies (IPT)
Villach
+43 664 78529124
paul.arts@silicon-austria.com

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