One of the biggest obstacles to fully optical computing has been the lack of a fast, scalable photonic memory cell. This article shows how researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have taken a pivotal step by demonstrating a manufacturable photonic memory device that functions as an optical counterpart to traditional SRAM and addresses a long-standing gap in optical system design.

AIM Photonics member NLM Photonics is putting next-generation silicon-organic hybrid photonic technology to the test as part of NASA’s MISSE-21 mission aboard the International Space Station. Developed in collaboration with AIM Photonics, the chips feature electro-optic modulators built with NLM’s proprietary materials, designed to deliver high modulation efficiency and low power consumption for spacecraft applications.

In a major milestone for space-enabled semiconductor research, photonic AI chips designed for next-generation computing are now being tested in orbit through a project led by the University of Florida with NASA, AIM Photonics, MIT, Vanguard Automation and Germany’s Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute.

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are at the core of modern communications, powering everything from 5G networks to AI data centers. This article explores how AIM Photonics has strengthened U.S. manufacturing by creating an accessible, low-cost multi-project wafer (MPW) platform that accelerates innovation from design to production.

In the latest episode of Photonics in Focus, Sarat Gundavarapu of SiPhox Health discusses the development of SiPhox Home, an innovative in-home diagnostic platform powered by photonic chips. The conversation explores how collaboration with AIM Photonics supported the advancement of this breakthrough technology—from early design challenges to scalable manufacturing solutions.

Strategic financial support—whether awarded directly to AIM Photonics or to partners working in collaboration—enables the Institute to contribute to high-impact research that pushes the boundaries of integrated photonics.

As industries from quantum computing to AI and advanced manufacturing increasingly depend on photonics, the field faces a critical obstacle: a shortage of skilled professionals. This article examines how the growing workforce gap is slowing progress in developing quantum computers, high-speed data centers and other technologies that rely on integrated photonics.

A surge of public and private investment is transforming photonics from an emerging technology into a critical enabler for manufacturing advances in light-based technologies across multiple sectors. This article traces how investments from major technology companies, public funding and Department of Defense initiatives are accelerating innovation in AI, communications, healthcare and national security.

Collaboration through AIM Photonics’ BioINSPECT program—a joint initiative between AIM Photonics and Advanced Regenerative Manufacturing Institute (ARMI) | BioFabUSA—is helping drive new advances in regenerative medicine. Under the program, AIM Photonics member Phlotonics Inc. has been awarded a $1.1M contract to work with leading academic researchers from the University of Rochester and Rochester Institute of Technology to adapt its BioproSense™ platform for regenerative biomanufacturing.