Market Assessment of high performance silicon photonic transceivers and sensors using low-cost lasers and assembly

下一代信息和通信技术越来越依赖于基于光学的电路（与传统电子电路相结合），以满足对更快的数据传输速度、更灵活和有弹性的电网以及更灵敏和紧凑的测量设备的日益增长的需求。这一领域的研究和发展——被称为硅光子学——目前依赖于体积庞大且昂贵（数百至数千美元）的可调谐激光器，并且反过来需要额外的隔离器、透镜和封装，从而导致昂贵且笨重的设备。我们的团队在硅平台上开发了两种新颖的电路（即很容易集成到现有的制造工艺中），可以取代通信应用中所需的可调谐激光器，并且可以简化封装以降低硅光子产品的总体组装成本。为了展示这些电路的应用，我们设计了一种基于硅光子的生物传感器，可用于即时病原体检测（包括但不限于Covid-19），制造成本低于20美元。我们目前的知识产权组合包括这两个新颖的电路设计和便携式生物传感器的设计。

Next-generation information and communication technologies rely increasingly on optical-based circuitry (in combination with traditional electronic circuits) to account for a growing need for faster speeds of data transmission, more flexible and resilient grids, and more sensitive and compact measurement devices. This area of research and development - known as silicon photonics - is currently reliant on tunable lasers that are bulky and expensive (hundreds to thousands of dollars), and in turn require additional isolators, lenses and packaging that results in costly and unwieldly devices. Our team has developed two novel circuits on a silicon platform (ie easily integrated into existing manufacturing processes) that can replace tunable lasers required in communication applications, and can simplify the packaging to reduce the overall assembly cost of silicon photonic products. In order to demonstrate the application of these circuits, we have designed a silicon photonic-based biosensor that can be used for point-of-care pathogen detection (including, but not limited to Covid-19) that can be manufactured for <$20. Our current IP portfolio includes these two novel circuit designs and a design for the portable biosensor. The purpose of this project is to complete a market study to evaluate the market potential for our novel circuitry in biosensing, communication, and others. Our strong IP position presents an excellent opportunity to start a new Canadian company based on our technology. We have engaged an independent consulting group Dennis Rank and Associates to assist with this market study, which will include a thorough review of secondary market data as well as a number of primary market research interviews with relevant stakeholders, and to evaluate this preliminary commercialization pathway.