500 business, government and academic leaders from organisations including the EU Commission, IBM, Sony, Nokia Bells Labs, Airbus, Unilever and NVIDIA will discuss closer collaboration between the semicon and integrated photonics industries through standardised manufacturing and design processes
PIC Summit Europe, organised by photonic chip industry accelerator PhotonDelta, will take place for the third time on the 15th and 16th October in Eindhoven. It attracts many of the top thought leaders in the photonic chip industry and is fast becoming the industry’s most influential event. This year’s summit will cover a range of issues and opportunities surrounding photonic chip technology and its applications. It will see senior leaders debate how photonic and electronic integrated circuits industries can work together to further integrate chips by standardising processes and breaking down barriers.
Photonic chips (also known as photonic integrated circuits (PICs)) pave the way for the development of smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient devices. Crucially, they have the potential to overcome the limitations of traditional semiconductor technology, which is crucial for driving the innovation necessary for the sustainable development of AI.
Photonic chip technology can also significantly improve performance and reduce energy consumption in data centres, accelerate advancements in quantum computing, and introduce new sensing solutions across various sectors, including healthcare, agriculture, and the automotive industry.
PIC Summit Europe will play host to major businesses, startups, academics and government representatives. They will take part in a series of talks and debates on options for closer collaboration, how industry standards can be created and enforced, and the business and funding models that will help the integrated photonics industry meet its full potential.
Eelko Brinkhoff, CEO of PhotonDelta, said: “The integrated photonics industry is at a critical juncture. Photonic chip technology will enable emerging high-end solutions in communication, computing, and sensing. It will also be a key component for worldwide semiconductor technology and will contribute to our shared sustainable development goals. A flourishing photonic chip industry will contribute to Europe’s ambition towards technology leadership in key enabling technologies and strategic autonomy.
“However, we still have some challenges in bringing the technology to the market. A strong cooperation with the semicon industry will accelerate this process and will help to solve the challenges the semicon industry faces.
“PIC Summit Europe 2024, which will be one of the largest gatherings to date of senior leaders from the semicon and integrated photonics industries, is going to play a role in meeting this challenge by creating global awareness and promoting the benefits and potential of the Dutch and European photonic chip industry and its technologies. This year's theme, ‘Fading Boundaries,’ reflects the integration of photonic and electronic circuits and the need for global cooperation beyond national interests for sustainable benefits.”
The summit will feature a host of keynotes and panels with leaders including the Deputy Director General of the EU Commission Thomas Skordas, Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Tjerk Opmeer, Airbus Head of Technology Sytze Kampen, Principal Technology Analyst at Sony Faisal Kamran, and Head of Silicon Photonics at Nokia Bell Labs Nicolas Fontaine.