RENATECH 2024 PhD AWARD

Adria Grabulosa is rewarded for his work on 3D printed circuits using an original two-photon optical additive manufacturing technique.

Due to the limitations of current electronic processors, the use of photons for communication between electronic chips is becoming increasingly important.
This challenge calls for new technologies that enable the efficient integration of photonic devices in small volumes. During his PhD, Adria Grabulosa developed an innovative approach based on 3D printing technology for the fabrication of photonic microstructures on a scale of 100 nm. He designed and produced a set of optical components and functions for 3D photonic integration. The technological development is based on the flash-TPP approach, a new strategy for manufacturing photonic waveguides, splitters and bends, occupying only a few μm. This technique is capable of reducing manufacturing time by a factor of 10, while enhancing optical performance. The CMOS compatibility of the process was demonstrated by printing these 3D components on semiconductor and silicon platforms.

Clearly, these results have the potential to play a central role in the next generation of photonic integrated circuits, with the ability to merge various photonic platforms, such as lasers and detectors, into a single universal device.

In the near future, the exploitation of the results obtained is planned in the near future by creating the LightSpring Photonics start-up, capable of meeting the cutting-edge demands associated with emerging concepts for the design and manufacture of the photonic architectures of the future. To date, the project has been selected by the prestigious national RISE program of CNRS Innovation and funded by the Bourgogne Franche-Comté Region.

Contact : Adria Grabulosa

Award