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EU Funds Photonic Chip Revolution
The European Union is investing heavily in photonic chip technology to boost energy efficiency and reduce dependence on Asian manufacturers. This includes a new pilot factory in the Netherlands.
Dutch
Netherlands
TechnologyEuropean UnionNetherlandsArtificial IntelligenceInvestmentEuropeInnovationEnergy
European UnionDutch Ministry Of Economic AffairsTnoSmart PhotonicsChips Joint Undertaking (Cju)
- What are the key advantages and applications of photonic chips?
- Photonic chips offer energy savings compared to traditional copper-wire chips. Their applications range from networking to medical diagnostics, food production, and self-driving vehicles using lidar sensors.
- What is the EU's long-term goal for the photonic chip industry?
- The EU aims to build a complete photonic chip supply chain within the EU, reducing reliance on Asian manufacturers. This initiative includes research, design, chip manufacturing equipment, and actual chip production, with the Netherlands playing a central role.
- How is the investment distributed geographically and financially?
- A third of the investment (133 million euros) is allocated to new production lines in Twente and Brabant, with the Dutch government contributing 66 million euros. The remaining funds will support the development and production of photonic chips across the EU.
- What is the main purpose of the EU's 380 million euro investment?
- The European Union is investing 380 million euros in a pilot factory for photonic chips, a type of semiconductor that processes information using light instead of electrons. This technology aims to make datacenters more energy-efficient and has applications in various sectors.
- What has been a major obstacle to the wider adoption of photonic chip technology, and how is this being addressed?
- The project addresses the current limitation of photonic inventions being confined to laboratories due to the lack of a suitable test facility. The new facility will be built at Eindhoven University of Technology and the University of Twente, enabling small-scale chip production.