Europe chooses pilot photonic chip factory in the Netherlands

The Netherlands will soon have a European facility for developing photonic chips. These chips transmit information via light waves instead of electrical signals. A public investment of 380 million euros has been set aside for this project, from the European Union and 11 participating countries. Of this, 133 million euros is expected to be invested in the Dutch components of the pilot plant, with Eindhoven and Enschede as possible locations.

Dutch companies, such as Smart Photonics, will use the new facility. In addition, organizations such as the knowledge institute TNO, TU Eindhoven, and the University of Twente will be involved in constructing the necessary infrastructure.

Excellent position

Thanks to the National Growth Fund project PhotonDelta, in which dozens of SME companies are collaborating with technology and innovation partners, the Netherlands is excellently positioned to produce photonic chips. Dutch government funding for this project will be further elaborated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in the coming period. If negotiations, contracts, and funding are completed, the project is expected to be able to start in mid-2025.

Photonics technology

Photonics is a technology that focuses on sensing, generating, transporting, and processing light signals. In integrated photonics, chips operate using optical rather than electrical signals. Communication via optical signals can transmit more data simultaneously over greater distances, resulting in higher performance and lower power consumption.

Photonic chips will allow the development of cheaper, faster, and energy-efficient devices in the future. This will contribute to early diagnosis of diseases, safe self-driving vehicles, more efficient food production, and a more robust data infrastructure. This puts the development of a new European industry within reach, enabling a wide range of innovative applications.