Skoltech: Photonic integrated circuits

History

2025: Product Announcement

Photonic integrated circuits with a bandwidth of up to 22 GHz were first produced in Russia and successfully tested. This was reported in Skoltech in early April 2025. The chips developed by engineers and materials scientists are designed for high-frequency signal processing and can be used in telecommunications equipment.

According to TASS, the size of the Russian optical transceiver market is estimated at ₽30 -35 billion. According to Kirill Kaem, Chief Managing Director of the Skolkovo Foundation (ВЭБ.РФ Group), this market is currently fully occupied by imported products and products from imported components. Thanks to the new development, products for high-speed data transfer can now be completely localized not only in terms of development, but also in terms of production.

𝓲

Фото: Skoltech

The development of photonic integrated circuits was carried out by Skoltech researchers working at the Fistech startup. They managed to create a photon chip, analogues of which are used in broadband optical communication systems with a bandwidth of up to 100 Gbps per wavelength. The functional test of the chips was carried out on fully domestic test boards that allow you to work with high-frequency signals over 40 GHz.

The process of developing, integrating and verifying the operation of these integrated circuits was carried out with the participation of several Russian scientific and production organizations. The project was attended by the ZNTC JSC Center for Collective Use,, and Research Center "Kurchatov Institute" NRNU MEPHI SRISA LLC "." T8 At the time of publication of the information, scientists are completing the second stage of testing, in which the work of all key components necessary to ensure the functioning of photon chips and stable data transmission is checked.^[1]

Notes