Integrated Photonics

Storing digital information in synthetic DNA is seen as a promising way to store mass data in the future — with extreme storage density and longevity. Fraunhofer IPMS is part of the BIOSYNTH project, which is developing a modular microchip platform for writing DNA, RNA and peptides — as the basis for biological storage technologies.

Our Integrated Silicon Systems (ISS) branch is developing the thermally active MEMS level of the platform. With the help of surface micromechanical structures — inspired by CMUT technology — precise temperature control is made possible for the synthesis of biological sequences. In addition, we contribute our simulation expertise for thermal optimization. The focus is on miniaturization: current synthesis systems are large, expensive and inefficient. The new platform, on the other hand, will be highly parallel, cost-effective and portable — a real technology shift for DNA-based data storage. Applications in toxicology, personalized medicine or bio-computing are also conceivable.

With BIOSYNTH, Fraunhofer IPMS is opening up new fields of application for integrated photonics, microsystems technology and synthetic biology — for the data world of tomorrow.

Photonic biosensors are very well suited for fast and accurate molecular analysis in point-of-care applications for the early detection of diseases, as an alternative to the standard method of detecting microorganisms using blood cultures, for food analysis or for environmental monitoring.

We are developing photonic biosensors with silicon nitride microring resonators as transducer elements. In detail, the biosensor based on a microring resonator works as follows: Target bioproteins that bind to the surface of the functionalized microring structure cause a change in the effective refractive index of the mode entering the structure and thus a shift in the resonance wavelength, which is detected when the spectrum is monitored at the output port. The narrower the resonance peaks of the transmission spectrum, the higher the sensitivity of the resonator. 

A suitable functionalization of the microring surface also enables the detection of binding between a specific bioactive receptor (antibody, DNA) and the analyte (e.g. biomarker protein), which takes place on the modified surface. With the help of micro-ring resonator-based biosensors, biomarker proteins could be detected down to very low concentrations of about 10 pg/ml. We are developing a highly sensitive, cost-effective, reliable and scalable on-chip biosensor platform with multiplex architecture and optimized light coupling to the chip.

Conventional focus and zoom systems are based on the mechanical displacement of lens elements, which makes integration into compact systems difficult due to their size.

Fraunhofer IPMS has developed a microlens with a variable focal length that features an impressively compact, integrable design. The focal length is adjusted via the deformation of a membrane by generating hydraulic pressure through voltage-controlled fluid displacement. This takes place via an electroactive polymer actuator with high deformability within a microfluidic silicon chamber. Production is carried out using wafer-level technology, which enables high-precision structuring, exact alignment and scalable production.

With an aperture of just a few millimetres and a wide, voltage-controlled focus range, the microlens is ideal for compact autofocus or zoom modules, for example in mobile devices, as well as for applications in photonics, optoelectronics and image processing.

Fraunhofer IPMS develops advanced devices and photonic integrated circuits (PICs) based on silicon nitride waveguides. Using customized technologies, we enable the monolithic integration of waveguides with CMOS devices while achieving low optical losses. A unique advantage is the ability to combine silicon nitride waveguides with liquid crystal waveguides, where specific electrode configurations allow the creation of programmable photonic devices for a wide range of applications. Our expertise spans the design, fabrication, and characterization of waveguide devices and PICs, used in optical communication networks (e.g., as wavelength filters, switches, multiplexers), spectroscopy, and as transducer elements in optical sensors and biosensors.

Manufacturing takes place on 200 mm wafers in the Fraunhofer IPMS cleanroom, with characterization carried out in specialized laboratory setups to ensure the highest quality and performance.

With MEMS-on-PIC, Fraunhofer IPMS has developed a universal manufacturing technology that combines photonic circuits (PICs) with MEMS structures, suitable for all established material platforms such as silicon, silicon nitride or lithium niobate.

The MEMS structures are built directly on the waveguide level of existing PICs without impairing their optical properties. This is made possible by nanometer-thin, transparent protective layers. MEMS-on-PIC is based on a CMOS-compatible 200 mm wafer process and complements the SiN photonics platform of Fraunhofer IPMS. The central element are optical MEMS phase shifters that change the refractive index of the waveguide through mechanical movement. These form the basis for photonic processors, for example in AI or quantum applications, and impress with their low energy consumption and high integration density — even for cryogenic environments.

In addition to phase shifters, MEMS structures can also be used as switches, modulators or filters — ideal for communication, sensor technology and spectroscopy. MEMS-on-PIC offers a scalable, energy-efficient and versatile solution for the integrated photonics of tomorrow.

We develop customized OLED-on-silicon components for industrial partners as a key technology for integrated photonic systems. Our services cover the entire development chain — from CMOS design, OLED stack optimization and optical design to system integration and interface programming. The aim is to seamlessly combine optical and electronic functions on a single chip for compact, high-performance applications.

We offer you technology-driven development projects, starting with feasibility studies and project conception through to pilot production and technology transfer. We realize structured OLEDs and organic photodiodes (OPDs), tailored to your specific requirements, whether for sensor technology, AR applications, medical technology or security solutions.

Our solutions are flexibly scalable on rigid substrates such as silicon or glass as well as on flexible materials. We also provide evaluation kits and enable design and technology transfer for rapid integration into your product development. With our bidirectional OLED microdisplays and function-integrated CMOS ICs, we provide key building blocks for the industrial implementation of integrated photonic systems.