Integrated Photonics for the Next Generation of Glass Core Substrates

Expert: Julian Schwietering

The need for chiplets and novel architectures in data communication requires the usage of glass as substrate material. Many activities to bring this technology into mass production are already taking place.

Glass as the ideal substrate material

In addition to the key reasons, such as high dimensional stability and ultra-low flatness, which make it the ideal material for high density wiring (smaller 5µm line/space) on large formats, glass also has the beneficial property of good optical transparency. This enables the integration of optical waveguides directly into the substrate. These optical waveguides represent the solution to future challenges, such as increasing energy consumption due to increasing data volumes, the corresponding increasing need to dissipate heat, and the demand for ever-longer signal paths. 

Experts for integrating optical waveguides 

Fraunhofer IZM is leading in the integration of optical waveguides into large glass substrates, using ion-exchange techniques. Together with other processes, like glass structuring, metallization and assembly technologies, available at IZM, the Photonic-Glass-Core-Substrate can be realized and enables the next technological step beyond the switch to electrical glass-core substrates.