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Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuits for Aerospace (EPICA)

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Center Overview

Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuits for Aerospace (EPICA) seeks to establish and improve the functionality and robustness of key enabling semiconductor technologies for operation in harsh environments in the atmosphere and outer space. EPICA’s objective is to enable the use of increasingly sophisticated integrated electronics and photonics in communications and sensing applications in aerospace platforms.

Integrated photonics have become a key enabling technology in many commercial, defense, and scientific applications such as fiber communications, data centers, radio frequency analog links, quantum computing, and communications and sensing. As human activities in space expand, EPICA’s efforts to enable essential communications, climate monitoring, research, and exploration will become increasingly important. In addition, EPICA will advance U.S.-based capabilities in the design and manufacture of integrated electronics and photonics, a key strategic goal of the U.S. government and U.S. industry.

Integrated photonics technologies are gaining extensive use in fiber communication systems. Indeed, the combination of photonics and electronics now available creates new opportunities to improve essential services such as internet availability and reliability, environmental sensing, and security.

EPICA researchers on components, systems, and aerospace collaborate with member companies and government agencies to advance knowledge of environmental considerations and create innovative components and architectures to meet the unique reliability and performance requirements of aerospace applications.

The EPICA team is also engaging with and building a diverse workforce to support all facets of integrated semiconductor devices, advanced photonics, electronics and optical science and systems. This includes recruitment and mentoring programs designed to increase the representation and success of students from groups historically underrepresented in this field. The active involvement of undergraduate and graduate students in all aspects of the research is a key element of EPICA.

Universities

University of Central Florida
Georgia Institute of Technology
Vanderbilt University

View Center Website

Center Personnel

Stephen E Ralph
Center Director
+1 404 894 5268
stephen.ralph@ece.gatech.edu

Robert Reed
Vanderbilt University Site Lead
+1 615 343 2702
robert.reed@vanderbilt.edu

Peter J Delfyett
Univ. of Central FL Site Lead
+1 407 823 6812
delfyett@creol.ucf.edu

Alison Jackson
Program & Ops Mgr
+1 404 894 6359
alison.jackson@ien.gatech.edu

Research Focus

EPICA designs architectures for advanced electronic-photonic integrated semiconductor circuits and systems and validates their performance and reliability. The focus is on investigating the reliability of these devices and systems operating in extreme environments such as space.

EPICA has three major research areas:

Assessment, understanding, and development of robust integrated photonic hardware for reliable operation under extreme-environment conditions, primarily radiation and temperature extremes.

Development of components and architectures using system-level methods and tools including machine learning to extract maximum advantage of integrated photonic systems for aerospace platforms.

Definition of flight hardware and mission architectures for subsequent flight demonstration.

Awards

2052742

IUCRC Phase I Vanderbilt University: Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuits for Aerospace (EPICA)

As mankind continues to expand a wide range of activities into space to support essential communications, climate monitoring, research and exploration, it is imperative to establish the viability and safety of key enabling integrated electronics and photonic technologies for operation in harsh environments. Integrated photonics enable systems with unmatched power efficiency, longevity and capability thus improving everything from internet availability and reliability around the planet to improving environmental sensing and enhanced security by enabling robust DoD systems. The objective of Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuits for Aerospace (EPICA) is to enable the use of increasingly sophisticated electronics and photonics in communications and sensing applications for space-borne and aerospace platforms. The diverse team of component, systems and aerospace researchers will collaborate to advance knowledge of associated environmental considerations, and craft specific components and architectures to meet the unique reliability and performance requirements.EPICA’s objective is to enable the next wave of communications and sensing technologies for aerospace and space-borne platforms. The focus is on investigating the reliability of these devices and systems operating in extreme environments such as space. The project has three major thrusts: i) Assessment, understanding, and development of robust integrated photonic hardware for reliable operation under radiation and temperature extremes; ii) Development of components and architectures using system-level methods and tools to extract maximum advantage of integrated photonic systems for aerospace platforms; iii) Definition of flight hardware and mission architectures for subsequent flight demonstration. A three-university team, comprised of Georgia Tech, The University of Central Florida and Vanderbilt University, with complementary expertise and facilities, will apply both analytical and experimental capabilities to this project. Vanderbilt researchers will investigate combined radiation and temperature effects on electronic-photonic devices and integrated circuits. This research will be conducted in collaboration with researchers at the other Center locations.EPICA will advance US-based capabilities in the design and manufacture of robust integrated electronics and photonics, enabling reliable internet access around the planet and creating new environmental sensing capabilities. The EPICA team is also actively creating a diverse workforce that includes a mentoring program designed to increase the success of students from underrepresented groups in areas of advanced photonics, electronics and optical sciences. Each site will engage professional societies and have active Bridge Programs to support and transition underrepresented students from the baccalaureate level to graduate school.A project repository for data, code, results, IAB meeting summaries and publications will be digitally archived. Each site will maintain their own local storage and Georgia Tech will manage a comprehensive cloud storage site accessible to the project partners. The repository will be maintained continuously from the first year and for three years after conclusion of the award.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

2052701

IUCRC Phase 1 University of Central Florida: Center for Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuits for Aerospace (EPICA)

As mankind continues to expand a wide range of activities into space to support essential communications, climate monitoring, research and exploration, it is imperative to establish the viability and safety of key enabling integrated electronics and photonic technologies for operation in harsh environments. Integrated photonics enable systems with unmatched power efficiency, longevity and capability thus improving everything from internet availability and reliability around the planet to improving environmental sensing and enhanced security by enabling robust DoD systems. EPICA’s objective is to enable the use of increasingly sophisticated electronics and photonics in communications and sensing applications for space-borne and aerospace platforms. The diverse team of component, systems and aerospace researchers will collaborate to advance knowledge of associated environmental considerations, and craft specific components and architectures to meet the unique reliability and performance requirements.EPICA’s objective is to enable the next wave of communications and sensing technologies for aerospace and space-borne platforms. The focus is on investigating the reliability of these devices and systems operating in extreme environments such as space. The project has three major thrusts: i) Assessment, understanding, and development of robust integrated photonic hardware for reliable operation under radiation and temperature extremes; ii) Development of components and architectures using system-level methods and tools to extract maximum advantage of integrated photonic systems for aerospace platforms; iii) Definition of flight hardware and mission architectures for subsequent flight demonstration. A three-university team, comprised of Georgia Tech, The University of Central Florida and Vanderbilt University, with complementary expertise and facilities, will apply both analytical and experimental capabilities to this project. UCF researchers will developing components and architectures that are focused on thin-film lithium niobite technologies and precision optical frequency comb sources in the application sector of aerospace wideband communication and signal processing and lidar. This research will be conducted in collaboration with researchers at the other Center locations.EPICA will advance US-based capabilities in the design and manufacture of robust integrated electronics and photonics, enabling reliable internet access around the planet and creating new environmental sensing capabilities. The EPICA team is also actively creating a diverse workforce that includes a mentoring program designed to increase the success of students from underrepresented groups in areas of advanced photonics, electronics and optical sciences. Each site will engage professional societies and have active Bridge Programs to support and transition underrepresented students from the baccalaureate level to graduate school.A project repository for data, code, results, IAB meeting summaries and publications will be digitally archived. Each site will maintain their own local storage and Georgia Tech will manage a comprehensive cloud storage site accessible to the project partners. The repository will be maintained continuously from the first year and for three years after conclusion of the award.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

2052808

IUCRC Phase I Georgia Institute of Technology: Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuits for Aerospace (EPICA)

As mankind continues to expand a wide range of activities into space to support essential communications, climate monitoring, research and exploration, it is imperative to establish the viability and safety of key enabling integrated electronics and photonic technologies for operation in harsh environments. Integrated photonics enable systems with unmatched power efficiency, longevity and capability thus improving everything from internet availability and reliability around the planet to improving environmental sensing and enhanced security by enabling robust DoD systems. The objective of Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuits for Aerospace (EPICA) is to enable the use of increasingly sophisticated electronics and photonics in communications and sensing applications for space-borne and aerospace platforms. The diverse team of component, systems and aerospace researchers will collaborate to advance knowledge of associated environmental considerations, and craft specific components and architectures to meet the unique reliability and performance requirements.EPICA’s objective is to enable the next wave of communications and sensing technologies for aerospace and space-borne platforms. The focus is on investigating the reliability of these devices and systems operating in extreme environments such as space. The project has three major thrusts: i) Assessment, understanding, and development of robust integrated photonic hardware for reliable operation under radiation and temperature extremes; ii) Development of components and architectures using system-level methods and tools to extract maximum advantage of integrated photonic systems for aerospace platforms; iii) Definition of flight hardware and mission architectures for subsequent flight demonstration. A three-university team, comprised of Georgia Tech, The University of Central Florida and Vanderbilt University, with complementary expertise and facilities, will apply both analytical and experimental capabilities to this project. Georgia Tech researchers will define key performance parameters for aerospace systems and develop architectures and components to meet these requirements. These circuits will be fabricated on a variety of integration platforms. The Georgia Tech team will also define and assess the impact of flight requirements including packaging and mission specific environments. The team will work directly with the Vanderbilt team in the design and assessment of components and will collaborate with the CREOL team on architecture and component design.EPICA will advance US-based capabilities in the design and manufacture of robust integrated electronics and photonics, enabling reliable internet access around the planet and creating new environmental sensing capabilities. The EPICA team is also actively creating a diverse workforce that includes a mentoring program designed to increase the success of students from underrepresented groups in areas of advanced photonics, electronics and optical sciences. Each site will engage professional societies and have active Bridge Programs to support and transition underrepresented students from the baccalaureate level to graduate school.A project repository for data, code, results, IAB meeting summaries and publications will be digitally archived. Each site will maintain their own local storage and Georgia Tech will manage a comprehensive cloud storage site accessible to the project partners. The repository will be maintained continuously from the first year and for three years after conclusion of the award.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

Member Organizations

IUCRC affiliated member organizations are displayed as submitted by the Center. Non-federal organizations are not selected, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the National Science Foundation.