Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications,
Heinrich-Hertz-Institut, HHI
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Research Topics of Hybrid PICs Group

Hybrid Integration Technology

HHI’s hybrid integration technology enables rapid prototyping, short iteration cycles along with low development effort and cost. Our expertise includes design and simulation, CAD, technology development and device manufacturing as well as characterization, assembly and qualification.

The following photonic integration platforms are available:

  • The PolyBoard platform based on integrated single mode polymer waveguides
    • Passive waveguide structures like MMIs, AWGs, gratings;
    • Thermo-optic structures like TO-shifters, VOAs, tunable gratings;
    • µBench with slots, U grooves and vertical mirrors to integrate micro lenses, NLO crystals, isolators, and thin film elements (PBS, λ/2 plates, λ/4 plates, high pass, low pass filters);
    • 3D photonic integrated elements like 3D MMIs and 3D optical phased arrays for optical beam forming and beam steering;
  • The SiN platform based on integrated single mode silicon nitride waveguides:
    • Passive waveguide structures like ring resonators, MMIs, AWGs, gratings.
    • Thermo-optic structures like TO-shifters, VOAs, tunable gratings; 
  • The TFLN platform based on integrated single mode thin film lithium niobate waveguides.

These platforms can be used either individually or combined together to meet specific application requirements. In addition, all platforms can be hybrid integrated with InP, GaAs or GaN active elements such as lasers, detectors, gain chips and modulators to form complex hybrid photonic integrated circuits.

HHI’s RF FlexLines are based on electrical co-planar waveguides and can be used for connecting photonic and electronic components in a single manufacturing step. Our RF FlexLines offer superior impedance matching and shielding capabilities over traditional wire bonds at very high frequencies (200 GHz and beyond).

1.6 Tb/s optical engine for intra-DC connectivity (EU POETICS)
Polymer optical motherboard with InP-based 4ch EML and PD arrays for intra-DC connectivity (EU POETICS)
Photonic integrated signal source with >1.5 THz continuous tunability and <0.25 GHz accuracy for mmW/THz applications (EU TERAmeasure)
Full-photonic mm-Wave/THz transmitter PIC for 5G-and-beyond networks (EU TERAWAY)
Electrical connections between PolyBoard and PCB enabled by wire bonds (EU TERAWAY)
Hybrid integrated 4ch optical transceiver PIC (400 Gb/s) for optical interconnects (EU TERIPHIC)
Hybrid integrated 8ch optical transceiver PIC (800 Gb/s) for optical interconnects (EU TERIPHIC)
Hybrid integrated 16ch optical transceiver PIC (1.6 Tb/s) for optical interconnects (EU TERIPHIC)
PolyBoard Multi-Project-Wafer
Electrical co-planar waveguides (RF FlexLines) for interconnecting PICs with drivers and TIAs
Hybrid integrated transceiver PIC for FTTH networks
Micro-optical bench for free-space optics in PICs
Micro-optical elements for HHI’s µBench platform
Thin-film filters for HHI’s PolyBoard platform and µBench
3D Photonic integrated optical phased array for 2D beam steering (EU 3PEAT)
BB84 Transmitter for Quantum Communication (BMBF QuNET)
4ch qROADM for Quantum Communication (EU UNIQORN)
HHI’s µBench with slots and U grooves for integrating micro lenses, polarization beam splitters and NLO crystals
HHI’s μBench: Integrated NLO crystal for photon pair generation
HHI’s μBench: Schematic of a 3x3 pixel on-chip magnetic field sensor
HHI’s μBench: Pumped NV center diamond in PolyBoard (3x3 pixel) for Quantum Sensing
SiN-based Point-of-Care platform for Bio Sensing
SiN-based μ-ring resonator PIC with tolerant grating couplers
SiN-based μ-ring resonator with reservoir for analytes
SiN-based μ-ring resonator PIC for blood gas analysis (BMBF optION)
From VIS to NIR: HHI’s hybrid integration platform PolyBoard
From VIS to NIR: Hyperspectral photonic integration platform RAINBOW (SiN and TFLN)