Aeluma (ALMU, Financial), in collaboration with Thorlabs, has announced a significant breakthrough in silicon photonics, aiming to accelerate the commercial adoption of quantum computing and communication technologies. The company has developed a large-diameter wafer platform that merges the advantages of compound semiconductors with silicon's manufacturing capabilities. This advancement is poised to offer cost-efficient solutions across various high-growth sectors including mobile, AI, defense and aerospace, automotive, and quantum computing.
The technology of silicon photonics holds great promise for quantum computing and communication enhancements. Aeluma's platform, which incorporates quantum dot sources and highly nonlinear electro-optic materials, delivers new high-performance functionalities. The collaboration with Thorlabs, with backing from the Office of Secretary of Defense, has enabled the successful integration of aluminum gallium arsenide, a nonlinear optical material, onto CMOS silicon photonics wafers at a 200mm diameter scale. This development marks a crucial step in scaling quantum photonic circuits.
Aluminum gallium arsenide significantly improves the efficiency of quantum photonic circuits by enabling entangled photon pair generation and modulation, surpassing other materials like silicon nitride or lithium niobate. This efficiency boost is vital for the next generation of quantum photonic systems, enhancing their performance capabilities.
