Cornerstone is a license free, open source Silicon Photonics rapid prototyping foundry based in the UK

Date Announced: 16 Sep 2021

Its open access and license free model differentiates the firm from other foundries.

The prototyping platform uses industry-compatible, deep-UV projection lithography meaning users can seamlessly scale up production volumes with their preferred favourite commercial foundry.

Cornerstone is a collaboration between three UK universities: University of Southampton (for wafer-scale processing); University of Glasgow (chip-level processing); and University of Surrey (ion implantation). It currently offers three different silicon-on-insulator platforms via a multi-project-wafer service.

The Cornerstone team recently announced that it has won around £1.5 million in funding from the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Centre (EPSRC) to expand its capabilities.

In Cornerstone 2, the team will develop 6 new silicon-based technology platforms for researchers to design their photonic integrated circuits. The platforms extend the supported wavelength range into both the visible wavelengths and mid-infrared wavelengths, enabling a plethora of applications including LIDAR, lab-on-a-chip sensing and more.

The six new platforms comprise: flip-chip bonding of electronic circuits to photonics; pick and place of laser dies to facilitate on-chip light sources for multiple applications; high confinement silicon nitride photonics platform with thickness up to 1 µm; undercut silicon photonics platform to facilitate photonics circuits that operate at wavelengths up to 4 µm; a germanium-on-silicon platform for photonics circuits that operate at wavelengths up to 12 µm; and deep-UV projection lithography service.

Contact

E-mail: cornerstone@soton.ac.uk

Web Site: https://www.cornerstone.sotonfab.co.uk