LASTSTEP: group-IV LASer and deTectors on Si-TEchnology Platform

光子学在许多应用中起着关键作用，例如环境或有毒气体的检测，食品或健康相关产品的分析。这些应用依赖于在中红外（MIR）波长范围内工作的高度先进的光子元件的发展。这些元件的制造一直很困难且昂贵，因为它们与标准的微电子或光子制造工艺不兼容。LASTSTEP的目标是通过开发世界上第一个使用硅锗锡合金（SiGeSn）的全IV族光子平台来解决这个问题。该项目专注于对化学物质传感至关重要的MIR 2-5 µm区域，旨在通过提供与标准最先进的200 mm CMOS制造工艺兼容的全单片解决方案，确保广泛采用所开发的技术。该方法将为传感提供具有成本效益的解决方案，也适用于自主导航或消费产品。为了实现这一目标，LASTSTEP聚集了一个由3个学术合作伙伴，2个RTO和3个工业组成的世界级财团。合作伙伴是：- 在行业相关环境中用于GeSn直接带隙合金生长和加工的CMOS兼容技术的领导者-在气体和液体传感市场上建立良好基础的两家中小企业-世界领先的PIC设计和测试公司，以确保进一步开发结果。LASTSTEP将开发四个基于完全第四组光子平台的原型，用于两个用例。原型将首先由分立元件组装，然后集成在PIC上。LASTSTEP旨在确保欧洲在硅光子学的发展和经济开发方面的突出地位，从而为欧盟社会带来最大的投资回报。LASTSTEP将把硅光子学的决定性进一步发展带入技术成熟的MIR平台，为通信、传感、健康、食品和安全领域的创新做好准备。

Photonics plays a key role in many applications, such as a detection of environmental or toxic gases, analyses of food or health-related products. Those applications depend on the development of highly advanced photonic components working in the mid-infrared (MIR) wavelength range. These components have always been difficult and expensive to make, as they are not compatible with standard microelectronic or photonic fabrication processes. LASTSTEP ambitions to address this issue by developing the world-first all-GroupIV photonic platform using silicon-germanium-tin alloys (SiGeSn). Focusing on the MIR 2-5 µm region essential for sensing of chemical species, the project aims to ensure a wide scale adoption of the developed technology by offering a fully monolithic solution compatible with standard state-of-the-art 200mm CMOS manufacturing processes. The approach will enable cost-effective solutions for sensing, but also for autonomous navigation or consumer products. To achieve this objective, LASTSTEP gathers a world class consortium composed of 3 academic partners, 2 RTOs and 3 industrials. The partners are: -leaders of a CMOS compatible technology for growth and processing of GeSn direct bandgap alloys in an industry-relevant environment - two SMEs well-established on the markets of gas and liquid sensing - world leading PIC design and test-house company to ensure further exploitation of results. LASTSTEP will develop four prototypes based on the fully-group-IV photonic platform for two use-cases. Prototypes will first be assembled from discrete components, then integrated on PICs. LASTSTEP aims to secure for Europe an outstanding position in development and economic exploitation of Si photonics, thereby anticipating maximal return on investment for the EU society. LASTSTEP will bring the decisive further development of Si photonics into a technologically mature MIR platform ready for innovations in the communications, sensing, health, food and safety sector.