In the ALLEGRO project, ensuring high-performance photonic chips starts with a rigorous pre-validation testing phase before electrical and optical packaging. This crucial step eliminates non-functional chips early, optimizing time and cost efficiency.
🔹 Key Steps in Pre-Validation Testing
✅ Wafer Visual Inspection – Examining wafers upon arrival to check die integrity and edge couplers.
✅ Die Extraction & Inspection – Carefully extracting and placing dies on gel-packs, ensuring they remain intact.
✅ Testing Setup Preparation – Configuring a high-precision setup with:
🔹 Laser Source
🔹 1:4 Splitter
🔹 Polarization Controllers
🔹 Fibre Array Mounted on a Hexapod for precise alignment
✅ IL Measurement & Data Capture – Measuring insertion loss (IL), optimizing polarization, and capturing data across multiple test loops.
✅ Die Classification & Final Inspection – Categorizing dies based on coupling results, ensuring only functional chips proceed to packaging.
By implementing systematic pre-validation, we ensure that only high-quality, power-efficient photonic components move forward in the E2E transport infrastructure development.
Excited to advance photonic integration with precision and efficiency!
#ALLEGRO #PhotonicChips #OpticalNetworking #PIC #Telecom #Innovation #HorizonEurope
