INSPIRE Project Concludes with Breakthrough Results in Photonic Integration

Final press release

After 42 months of collaborative research and innovation, the H2020-funded project INSPIRE (InP on SiN Photonic Integrated Circuits Realized through Wafer-Scale Micro-Transfer Printing) officially comes to a close. The project has delivered major technological milestones that pave the way for scalable, high-performance photonic integrated circuits (PICs).

The INSPIRE platform combines the high efficiency of indium phosphide (InP) active components with the ultra-low loss of silicon nitride (SiN) waveguides, using a novel wafer-scale micro-transfer printing (MTP) technique. This hybrid approach enables the integration of lasers, modulators, and photodetectors with passive photonic functions on a single chip — without compromising performance.

🔬 Highlights include:
– A hybrid laser with sub-10 kHz linewidth and wide chirp bandwidth
– Prototype optical switch matrices up to 16×16
– Progress toward integrated microwave photonic systems
– Full development of supporting software and packaging interfaces

While final demonstrators are still undergoing packaging and testing, the project successfully validated key building blocks and established a roadmap toward industrial adoption, particularly for sensing and data communication applications.

To learn more, download final press release here.

The INSPIRE consortium would like to thank all partners, collaborators, and the European Commission for their support throughout this exciting journey. Stay connected for future updates as the INSPIRE technology continues to evolve within Europe’s growing photonics ecosystem.