DARPA Awards $4.7 Million Contract to North Carolina State University for Advanced Photonic Interconnects
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded a $4.7 million contract to North Carolina State University (NCSU) in Raleigh, North Carolina, to develop cutting-edge 3D chip-to-chip and intra-chip photonic interconnects. This initiative aims to significantly enhance information throughput and mitigate electromagnetic interference in microsystems.
Overview of the HAPPI Program
The Heterogeneous Adaptively Produced Photonic Interfaces (HAPPI) program is a DARPA-led effort focused on revolutionizing information transmission within microsystems. The program seeks to achieve a 1000-fold increase in connectivity density by developing high-density 3D chip optical links and multiple routing planes within photonic integrated circuits or interposers. This advancement is crucial for applications such as signal processing, free-space communications, remote sensing, digital computing, and atomic sensing. (darpa.mil)
NCSU’s Role in the HAPPI Program
NCSU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering will collaborate with RTX Raytheon and SRI International on the HAPPI project. The university’s team will focus on developing robust optical interfaces capable of withstanding typical microsystem misalignments due to fabrication and assembly variability. These interfaces are designed to maintain high performance across large link arrays that span reticle- or wafer-scale systems. Additionally, NCSU will work on creating adaptive interfaces that offer environmentally and mechanically stable optical performance, ensuring compatibility with standard microelectronics manufacturing and assembly processes. (darpa.mil)
Program Structure and Objectives
The HAPPI program is structured over 36 months, divided into two phases:
-
Phase One (18 months): Demonstrate the feasibility of 3D routing in integrated photonics.
- Phase Two (18 months): Scale the density and validate the manufacturability of the 3D routing platform.
By the end of the program, DARPA aims to establish a domestic ecosystem for advanced photonic integration, encompassing foundry services, automated design tools, and advanced packaging technologies. (darpa.mil)
Implications for Future Microsystems
The advancements pursued under the HAPPI program are expected to significantly enhance the efficiency and performance of microsystems. By increasing the density of photonic links through 3D optical routing within and between chips, the program will enable more efficient information delivery in various applications, including signal processing, free-space communications, remote sensing, digital computing, and atomic sensing. (darpa.mil)
For more information on the HAPPI program, visit DARPA’s official page. (darpa.mil)
