PRESS RELEASE

21 March 2016

Contact:
Niek Nijenhuis niek.nijenhuis@phoenixbv.com

PhoeniX Software and Sandia National Laboratories Collaborate to Advance Photonic Integrated Circuit Design and Manufacture.

Silicon photonics holds the potential to become a cost-effective, scalable technology for the production of photonic integrated circuits (PIC’s) to address applications including high-performance optical networking, data center interconnects, signal processing, and biological and chemical sensing. A comprehensive photonics process design kit (PDK) is critical to enabling a design methodology that ensures predictable operation and reliable, repeatable fabrication of complex PIC designs for these demanding applications. PhoeniX Software and Sandia National Laboratories are collaborating to develop a photonics PDK for Sandia’s silicon photonics manufacturing process.

In July 2015, U.S. Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology Program established the American Institute for Manufacturing (AIM) Photonics to develop “an end-to-end integrated photonics ecosystems in the U.S.” underscoring the importance of photonics in the future of U.S. economy and national security. PhoeniX Software and Sandia’s collaboration directly addresses some of the key challenges facing that initiative. The combination of PhoeniX Software suite of photonic design tools and Sandia’s foundry services enable photonic designers to innovate in the field of integrated photonics.

“These are interesting times for silicon photonics! There are a lot of opportunities for this particular technology within in a diverse range of applications,” stated Niek Nijenhuis, Global Sales & Marketing Manager at PhoeniX Software. “Collaborating with Sandia National Laboratories not only fits our company strategy, but also contributes towards our common goal which is creating an easy access and well functioning ecosystem for our mutual customers.”

Rick McCormick, Senior Manager of Microsystems Process S&T at Sandia commented, “AIM Photonics will accelerate the impact of photonics on information, communication, and sensing technologies, including those in many national security applications. Sandia is committed to supporting this institute’s critical objectives and we welcome this collaboration with PhoeniX Software to advance the photonic design ecosystem.”

About PhoeniX Software
Pioneering photonics design automation already since 1991, today PhoeniX Software has a global presence and is a trusted and well recognized partner for a large number of organizations. We enable easy and cost-effective realization of integrated photonics chips and systems, by means of our internally developed superior products and services. Our customers range from large Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s) to start-ups and include some of the world’s top universities and research institutes. As the leader in Photonic IC design solutions, we will continue to develop the market by anticipating market demand and customer needs. In combination with our strategic partnerships, this results in offering world class design flows and access to all relevant fabrication technologies for our customers. Please visit http://www.phoenixbv.com/

About Sandia National Laboratories
Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corp., for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies and economic competitiveness. Sandia has extensive capabilities in design, fabrication, characterization, and packaging of photonic components. To learn more about Sandia’s areas of expertise in photonics and Multi-project wafer (MPW) process for integrated silicon photonics and related technologies, please visit www.sandia.gov/mstc/.