Optomechanical Photonics on a Commercial Foundry Platform

To address the NASA need for advanced integrated photonic components, memQ proposes to create acousto-optic devices on a commercial thin film lithium niobate MPW platform. Acousto-optic devices, as enabled by lithium niobate’s strong piezoelectric effect, would allow for the creation of acousto-optic modulators, non-magnetic isolators, beam steerers, and RF-to-optical transducers. This new class of component would benefit PIC based technologies such as LiDAR, communications, quantum systems, and sensing. In phase I, the primary focus will be on developing interdigitated transducers for efficient acoustic wave coupling onto the PICs. Initial designs for the above listed devices will also be included. In phase II, the devices will be designed for specific performance targets given the results from phase I. At the end of phase II, this technology is expected to be ready (TRL-6) for development as a standard PDK component - which will be the focus of a Phase III type effort.

Acousto-optic components on PICs would benefit a range of NASA technologies, such as free-space optical communication, quantum communication, and LIDAR. For example acousto-optic modulators can be used for compact chip-based beam steering. Currently there are no commercial integrated photonic foundries offering acousto-optic devices, however with the development of thin film lithium niobate platforms there is now a path to develop this valuable class of components. Overcoming this challenge would enable NASA to deploy more advanced, reliable, and miniaturized photonic systems at scale for both interplanetary communication and remote sensing applications, thus enhancing mission capabilities and the exploration of the cosmos. The proposed acousto-optic components are key enablers of quantum systems, and the PIC formfactor offers a robust, manufacturable, and low SWAP platform for integration. AOMs are valuable as a frequency shifter, switch, or attenuator that can work at the cryogenic temperatures that many quantum systems operate at. Non-magnetic isolators are critical for field deployable quantum sensors and clocks that won’t interfere with the atomic energy levels. Beam steering is becoming increasingly critical for approaches to scale trapped ion and neutral atom quantum computers that need to be able to rapidly address different atoms in a compact form factor. Finally, a transducer would enable superconducting RF qubit based quantum systems to scale through networking which generally requires photonic qubits for interconnects. Other PIC based technologies that have access to piezoelectric materials on their platform will also surely benefit from this class of devices by introducing new functionality.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.