Cambridge and Southampton Join PIXEurope Consortium

The University of Cambridge’s Cambridge Graphene Centre and the Cornerstone Photonics Innovation Centre at the University of Southampton will partner with members from across Europe to host a pilot line. Coordinated by the Institute of Photonic Sciences in Spain, the project combines state-of-the-art equipment and expertise from 20 research organizations.

The PIXEurope consortium has been selected by the European Commission and Chips Joint Undertaking, a European initiative aiming to bolster the semiconductor industry by fostering collaboration between member states and the private sector. The consortium is supported by €380 million ($413 million) in total funding.

The University of Cambridge and the University of Southampton have joined the PIXEurope consortium to advance semiconductor technologies for photonic integrated circuits. Courtesy of the University of Southampton.

The U.K. participants will be backed by up to £4.2 million ($5.4 million) in funding from the Department of Science, Innovation, and Technology, match-funded by Horizon Europe. The U.K. joined the EU’s Chips Joint Undertaking in March 2024, allowing the country to collaborate more closely with European partners on semiconductor innovation.

The new pilot line will combine state-of-the-art equipment and expertise from research organizations across 11 countries. It aims to encourage the adoption of cutting-edge photonic technologies across more industries to boost their efficiency.

Researchers at the Cambridge Graphene Centre will be responsible for the integration of graphene and related materials into photonic circuits for energy efficient, high-speed communications and quantum devices.

The new pilot line aims to offer cutting-edge technological platforms, transforming and transferring innovative and disruptive integrated photonics processes and technologies to accelerate their industrial adoption. The objective is the creation of European-owned/made technology in a sector of capital importance for technological sovereignty, and the creation and maintenance of corresponding jobs in the U.K. and across Europe.