Pillar 1: Cryogenic EO devices

To create a seamless link between microwaves and light, we need specialized materials that can operate at extreme temperatures. This pillar focuses on developing the “hardware” or chips that make this interaction possible.

The Goal

Developing new methods to integrate materials like Lithium Niobate and Silicon-Organic Hybrids (SOH) onto chips that work efficiently at cryogenic (ultra-cold) temperatures.

Year 1 Achievements

  • Design Kits: We created standardized “Process Design Kits” (PDKs) to make designing and manufacturing these chips more reliable. (SilOriX, Luxtelligence)
  • Material Success: We successfully modelled and experimentally validated SOH structures at room and cryogenic temperatures, proving they can handle high bandwidths with low signal loss. (KIT, SilOriX)
  • Precision Manufacturing:
    – Optical loss measured: LiNbO₃ <10 dB/m, SrTiO₃ ~550 dB/m (IBM)
    – Microresonators (LiNbO₃, LiTaO₃) achieved: FSR up to 300 GHz, Q ~2×10⁶ (EPFL)
    – Expanded cryogenic test capability including NbTiN and 4-K electro-optic characterization