NIST Researchers Develop Photonic Chip Packaging That Can Withstand Extreme Environments

A photonic integrated chip developed in the laboratory of NIST scientist Nikolai Klimov.

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new way to package photonic integrated circuits — tiny chips that convey information using light instead of electricity — so they can survive and operate in extreme environments, from scorchingly hot industrial settings to ultracold vacuum chambers and the depths of outer space. 

“Our study marks a major step toward bringing the speed and efficiency of photonics into environments where conventional semiconductor chips powered by electric current and photonics chips packaged using traditional methods have not been able to operate,” said NIST physicist Nikolai Klimov, who led the project.

The results were just published in Photonics Research. 

In the world of chip manufacturing, “packaging” refers to the protective housing and connection system that surrounds a chip and links it to the outside world, including optical fibers, electrical contacts and other components. Good packaging allows the chips to be used in compact, reliable devices without damage or misalignment. 

Photonic integrated chips have a particular advantage because they transmit data at high speeds while consuming far less power than conventional chips — but only if the packaging can keep delicate optical connections perfectly aligned.