The future of European electronics: the SiCPIC project
The future of European electronics lies in Turin. The SiCPIC (Silicon Carbide Photonic Integrated Circuit Doctoral Network) project, funded under the European Horizon Europe and Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions programme, has received official approval and will begin in January 2026. The initiative's partners include Politecnico di Torino, which will contribute to the research activities together with the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nuernberg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), the National Institute for Metrological Research (INRiM), University of Grenoble Alpes, and the companies SPEA, Ignis Photonyx A/S, Neoplas Control GmbH, and Corial SAS.
The project's goal is to revolutionize photonic integrated circuits (PICs) – devices that integrate active and passive optical components on a single chip, like electronic circuits but using photons instead of electrons – using silicon carbide (SiC), a material that promises to overcome the current limitations of microchips in terms of power consumption and signal delays. SiCSIP builds on the results achieved by the European SiComb project (2020-2024), which has already explored and investigated the potential of SiC in integrated photonics. In SiComb, the research group has developed methods for depositing silicon carbide layers on insulating material (SiCOI), techniques for the nanofabrication of low-loss waveguides, a type of optical fiber but much smaller and highly efficient, and technological polishing processes to achieve surfaces with reduced roughness. These advances have thus enabled the demonstration of crucial optical effects, through the creation of optical mixers, devices that manage optical signals, and the generation of a "frequency comb," a light source with sharp, equidistant spectral lines somewhat reminiscent of the teeth of a comb, laying the foundation for SiCPIC work.
Building on this solid foundation, the SiCPIC project now aims to take the next step: integrating the key functional blocks – such as frequency combs, modulators, and filters – directly onto the SiC chip. The ultimate goal is to develop and test these devices for concrete applications in key fields such as optical communications, mid-infrared spectroscopy, and quantum communication.
However, this is not just a scientific challenge: the project also aims to train, through the PhD program, new talent in the field of microelectronics. This sector, and optoelectronics in particular, suffers internationally from a shortage of qualified personnel, as well as a lack of specialized and suitable graduate programs.
To address this issue, Politecnico di Torino will host PhD students interested in the project at the University's Chilab-ITEM laboratory for five months. The activities will be coordinated by Luciano Scaltrito, Professor at the Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT) and scientific director of the project for the Politecnico di Torino, and Sergio Ferrero, Professor at DISAT. Researchers Valentina Bertana and Giulia Mossotti, also at DISAT, will contribute to the project. They will ensure a highly specialized training environment, along with the other laboratory staff.
In total, the project will train 15 future researchers, the next generation of experts in the semiconductor device manufacturing process. This initiative not only strengthens Europe's leadership in next generation technologies, but also contributes to achieving the objectives of the EU Chips Act for the continent's technological autonomy.
"This project aims to accelerate the technological revolution in microelectronics through a two-pronged innovation: the adoption of new materials, silicon carbide, and new processes – comments Professor Scaltrito – During the activities, the optical properties of the aforementioned material will be investigated, and the best manufacturing methodologies will be evaluated to optimize microchip performance. This will be achieved by training 15 young graduates, providing them with the tools and methods to obtain a PhD in a highly sought-after industrial sector. The training will be made possible thanks to teamwork with the project partners and the invaluable coordination of our colleague Haiyan Ou of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU)”.