Advanced integrated photonic devices for extended features and ultra-low power consumption (RIA) (Photonics Partnership)

Expected Outcome:

• Advanced integrated photonic devices and circuits with enhanced functionality and performance enabling wider application across multiple sectors including digital, automotive, industrial, health and security
• Reinforced competitiveness of EU photonics actors by demonstrating advancements in representative system configurations and validating real-world applicability
• Significantly improved performance of electro-optic systems in applications such as communication, computing, sensing, medical diagnostics, data processing, AI supporting the introduction of photonic elements into such systems
• Low power consumption sensors with increased performance in application domains

Scope:

R&I should enhance the functionality, efficiency, and integration of photonic devices and circuits with a focus extended system performance. Action should address at least two of the following aspects.

• Enhanced performance through improved spectral purity, wavelength coverage, output power and noise characteristics.
• Increased modulation or detection speeds going beyond the capability of existing PIC material platforms, improved signal-processing capabilities, and integration of novel materials such as thin-film LiNbO3, BTO, graphene, silicon carbide, phase change materials and TMDCs.
• Miniaturised, high-complexity photonic circuits (e.g. multilayer photonics, chiplets, multiple integrated functional elements), scalable interconnects and electronics-photonics integration (co-packaged, heterogeneous, or monolithic) to improve performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency.
• Reduction of power consumption for example through improved electrical-to-optical conversion, lower optical losses, devices operable at higher temperatures to reduce cooling needs, and low-power circuit actuation and control.

Proposals should consider system-level impact and demonstrate advancements in representative configurations relevant to one or more application domains. This topic implements the co-programmed European Partnership on photonics. null Activities are expected to start at TRL 3 and achieve TRL 6 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.

Type of action: HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions

Programme period: 2021 - 2027

Priorities: PART-COPROGR, DigitalAgenda, AI

"> General conditions

1. Admissibility Conditions: Proposal page limit and layout

described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Proposal page limits and layout: described in Part B of the Application Form available in the Submission System.

2. Eligible Countries

described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. A number of non-EU/non-Associated Countries that are not automatically eligible for funding have made specific provisions for making funding available for their participants in Horizon Europe projects. See the information in the Horizon Europe Programme Guide .

3. Other Eligible Conditions

In order to achieve the expected outcomes, and safeguard the Union’s strategic assets, interests, autonomy, and security, it is important to avoid a situation of technological dependency on a non-EU source, in a global context that requires the EU to take action to build on its strengths, and to carefully assess and address any strategic weaknesses, vulnerabilities and high-risk dependencies which put at risk the attainment of its ambitions. For this reason, participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States, Iceland and Norway, associated countries, OECD countries and MERCOSUR countries. For the duly justified and exceptional reasons listed in the paragraph above, in order to guarantee the protection of the strategic interests of the Union and its Member States, entities established in an eligible c