QFoundry: Bay Photonics sets packaging standards for National open-access quantum device foundry

QFoundry: Bay Photonics sets packaging standards for National open-access quantum device foundry

QFoundry is a £5.8M Innovate UK funded project running for 36 months and bringing together the UK’s most established supply chains for quantum semiconductor components to address critical challenges in manufacturing and deliver a National (and World’s first) open-access Quantum device foundry. Bay Photonics are providing key technology that will lead to the rapid commercialisation of quantum driven technology in the UK. This is due to our expertise in packaging the photonic components, such as single photon emitters and single photon detectors that are essential for enabling photonic driven quantum processes.

Utilising existing infrastructure and capital, QFoundry will deliver the foundations for robust, scalable component manufacture in the UK to enable future volume Quantum Technology applications. QFoundry will initially focus on developing manufacturing platforms and supply chains for single-mode Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) and single-photon emitters/detectors to include Quantum Dot (QD) and Multiple Quantum Well (MQW) structures.

QFoundry will leverage knowledge gained to-date across the UK QT programme to:

• Upscale discrete component manufacture using standard semiconductor manufacturing techniques.
• Consolidate links in existing UK supply chains for robust, open-access supply of VCSELs and Single Photon devices, from design to             packaged components.
• Develop the methodology to accelerate high-uniformity, reproducibility and reliability in the context of QT applications. 

At Bay Photonics, the technical team have many years experience in photonic component manufacturing, developing the right packaging solution for the application, carefully considering the correct balance of manufacturing process, cost, performance and reliability. Having worked in Telecommunications, Aerospace & Defence, as well as Medical, the team at Bay are familiar with the regulatory and reliability requirements for photonic componentry in these fields.

The project is led by the Compound Semiconductor Centre and other partners include Toshiba Research Europe, IQE, NPL as well as Cambridge, Cardiff and Sheffield Universities.

Key target markets for the quantum devices developed during the project are LIDAR, mid-IR sensors, and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD). All are rapidly growing markets with CAGR >30% and total combined value of over $5B.