5 min read
Photonics is rapidly evolving into a key technology in data communications, sensing, medical systems, and high-tech applications. For a long time, the focus was on demonstrating functionality and developing new concepts. That focus is now shifting toward reliability, reproducibility, and large-scale production.
Demcon high-tech systems addresses these challenges by combining its optical expertise within Demcon focal with its experience in system engineering and machine building, helping companies improve their technology and make it suitable for industrial production.
Interest in photonics is rising fast. The technology, which uses the properties of light to generate, transport, and process information, is being adopted across an expanding range of applications, from data centers and communication systems to medical diagnostics and sensor technology. This trend goes hand in hand with further miniaturization, with photonic functions increasingly integrated at chip level. At the same time, the number of companies developing photonic components and systems continues to grow. In the Netherlands, this development has long been recognized and supported by research institutions, industrial players, and targeted investment programs.
This growth, combined with the breadth of applications, introduces new challenges. On the one hand, this includes the development of new, sometimes fundamental technology. Companies and research institutions are working on optical principles, photonic components and applications whose feasibility has yet to be established. This level of miniaturization requires modeling, simulation, and experimentation, as well as a deeper understanding of light behavior at the micro and chip levels.
On the other hand, another set of questions concerns technologies that have already proven themselves in the lab. Here, the challenge no longer lies in demonstrating functionality, but in achieving consistent performance and scaling up production. Components must be manufactured in larger quantities, systems must become more robust, and processes less dependent on manual steps.
“We are seeing an increase in both types of inquiries,” says Patrick Strating, managing director of Demcon focal. “On the one hand, we are asked to contribute ideas during early development phases, when the exact design of a system has not yet been determined. On the other hand, questions around industrialization are becoming more frequent, requiring existing solutions to be translated into reproducible and scalable production.”
In scaling-up processes, it is evident that photonics is still strongly developing as an industrial discipline. Assembly often relies heavily on craftsmanship. Light couplers are sensitive to losses, and aligning large numbers of fibers and chips is time-consuming and requires specialized knowledge. Small variations in positioning or environment can directly affect the performance of the final product.
That is not a big issue as long as volumes remain limited and applications are in a research context. As soon as demand increases and products need to be supplied on a larger scale, that changes. At that point, it becomes clear that existing processes are not easily scalable. Production times increase, quality variation must be tightly controlled, and dependence on a small group of production experts is becoming a risk.
At scale, the need for automation is evident. Companies look for ways to industrialize their production process. Processes must be automated, tolerances must be made explicit, and systems must be designed to function stably under varying conditions. In that phase, Demcon, as an expert in system engineering and mechatronics for precision systems, is in its element. “In some cases, it means the further development of existing machines; in other cases, an entirely new platform needs to be designed from the ground up,” says Thijs Kniknie, senior system engineer at Demcon high-tech systems.
In both development and industrialization projects, the technical complexity of photonics plays a central role. Unlike the classical semiconductor industry, many interfaces and processes are not yet standardized. While clear agreements exist in electronics regarding, for instance, packaging and interconnects, this is still evolving in photonics. This is partly because various platforms – such as indium phosphide, silicon, and silicon nitride – are being developed alongside one another, as each is suited to different application domains. This means that design choices are often project-specific and that integration issues must be addressed anew every time.
Another factor is that photonic systems consist of a combination of passive and active components that must be precisely aligned. Transitions between fibers, chips, and other optical elements are critical because losses in that region directly affect performance. Even small deviations in positioning, temperature, or material behavior can have major effects. Photonics therefore requires an integrated approach in which optical, mechanical, and thermal aspects are considered in conjunction.
To address these challenges, Demcon high-tech systems brings together various competencies. Within the organization, optics and photonics expertise have long been part of the project portfolio. Additionally, disciplines such as mechatronics, system engineering, and multiphysics are deployed to achieve working solutions.
The key capabilities found in photonics projects are:
Together, these requirements mean that photonics cannot be approached as an isolated discipline. It is a domain where knowledge of optics, mechatronics, and system architecture converge.
Within Demcon, this combination is organized into multidisciplinary teams. Focal forms the core in the field of optics and photonics. Engineers within the company focus on modeling light behavior and developing optical concepts. This knowledge is complemented by experience in mechatronics and system engineering, through which systems are designed and built.
An important principle is that design and manufacturability are not viewed separately. Choices made at an early stage have direct consequences for the ability to scale up a system later. By explicitly taking production into account during development processes, surprises in later phases can be avoided.
This approach relies on simulations and models that combine various physical domains. Thermal behavior, mechanical stability, and optical performance are examined in conjunction. This allows engineers to gain insight into potential bottlenecks at an early stage and to optimize in a targeted manner.
For companies, the collaboration with Demcon offers the opportunity to make faster progress without having clarity on all requirements and without having to build up all the necessary disciplines themselves.
Demand for photonic solutions is expected to increase significantly in the coming years. This applies to both existing applications and emerging domains in which light can play a role. At the same time, pressure will increase to make products available faster and at lower costs. This leads to a sustained demand for both development and industrialization.
In this field, Demcon high-tech systems positions itself as a partner capable of supporting both types of challenges. By offering technology development and system realization side by side, a pathway from initial concept to industrial application is created. In doing so, the company contributes to the continued growth of a sector that is becoming a key pillar of the Dutch high-tech industry.
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