izmo Microsystems, IIT Madras to develop advanced photonic chip packaging solutions

Semiconductor packaging and System-in-Package (SiP) solutions provider izmo Microsystems has partnered with IIT Madras to advance photonic chip packaging solutions. The collaboration places izmo Microsystems as an industry partner at the Centre for Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuits and Systems (CPPICS), a Centre of Excellence (CoE) at IIT Madras, led by Professor Bijoy Krishna Das.

The partnership aims to develop programmable photonic processor cores using silicon photonics technology. The project seeks to enhance photonic computing and communication, with a particular focus on applications in microwave and quantum photonics.

izmo Microsystems is contributing its expertise in SiP technology by developing packaging solutions for photonic chips, covering design, fabrication, and testing. This initiative aligns with India’s growing interest in semiconductor and photonics innovation, positioning the country at the forefront of next-generation computing technologies, the company said in a statement. 

The CPPICS was established on 1 January 2021 within the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Madras. The centre received a significant initial funding of ₹26.65 crore from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India, alongside an in-kind contribution of ₹3.25 crore from izmo Microsystems Bengaluru. 

Professor Das highlighted izmo Microsystems' role in advancing photonic chip packaging within the CPPICS R&D programme. He noted that the company’s expertise in System-in-Package (SiP) solutions has been instrumental in scaling chip-scale microwave and quantum photonics applications. As CPPICS works towards large-scale programmable photonic processors, the partnership will drive energy-efficient SiP solutions for the silicon photonics market.

The global silicon photonics market is experiencing rapid growth and is projected to reach $4.6 billion by 2027, driven by the increasing demand for high-speed data transmission in data centres and cloud computing. With traditional copper interconnects facing limitations, major technology companies and telecommunications providers are investing heavily in silicon photonics to address bandwidth and energy efficiency challenges. The Asia-Pacific region, including India and China, is emerging as a key hub for silicon photonics manufacturing and implementation.