The purpose of the Canadian Photonics Fabrication Center, scheduled to formally open in May 2004, is to expand the photonics industry by offering Canadian companies and academic institutions access to fabrication services for optoelectronic and photonic devices. Design, prototyping, fabrication and test facilities will be available, including epitaxial tools and device processing facilities such as electron-beam and optical lithography.

Formed by the National Research Council of Canada and Carleton University, both in Ottawa, the center will utilize the resources of the Carleton campus as well as the council's Institute for Microstructural Sciences, both of which have a history of developing technologies and processes used in photonic device production.

With a cost of $31.4 million over five years, the program will receive funding from the federal government as well as from the Ontario government through the university.