16 May 2011

APIC and UAlbany NanoCollege partner on 'green' computer chip technology 

Photonic integrated circuits (PIC) firm APIC Corp of Culver City, CA, USA and the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CNSE) of the University at Albany in Albany, NY have formed a partnership (budgeted at $10m over the next 18 months) for the joint development and commercialization of ‘green’ technology to enable faster computer chips that use significantly less power.

The collaboration, which integrates APIC’s expertise in photonics systems and devices with CNSE’s nanoelectronics resources, will result in the creation of at least 20 high-tech jobs over the next 18 months, mostly at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech Complex.

The APIC–CNSE partnership targets the development and delivery of a new generation of modules and systems using photonic integrated circuits (PIC) that combine optical communications with silicon-based CMOS technologies. As ongoing scaling continues to shrink the bandwidth of metal wiring used to connect CMOS circuits (severely limiting speed and functionality for advanced processors and multi-core systems), optical communication is seen as a serious contender to break this communications bottleneck, says CNSE.

Such PIC systems will be particularly useful in addressing the explosion in bandwidth and computing power needs — including advanced data-centers, medical research, secure financial transactions and next-generation gaming capabilities — increasing speed by up to 60%, while reducing power consumption by as much as 90%. 

“The agreement reached by the APIC Corporation and Ualbany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering is great news for the Capital Region and further attests to the effectiveness of our public/private economic development model,” says New York State Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. “This is how we will create jobs, spin-off business opportunities, spur technological advancement, and rebuild our state economy. With the leadership of Dr Alain Kaloyeros, Albany Nano will remain ‘the place to be’ for cutting-edge nanotech R&D and commercialization,” he adds.

“APIC Corporation and its commercial arm PhotonIC Corp is very excited about our partnership with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering, a world-class education, research, development and technology resource. Combining the unparalleled capabilities of CNSE with APIC’s leading-edge photonics technology will enable advanced photonics integration with electronics and accelerate its introduction into the commercial marketplace,” says APIC’s chairman & CEO Dr Raj Dutt. “This joint program will expand both CNSE’s and APIC’s technical workforce in Albany, NY and Culver City, CA, and pave the way for further collaboration in the future.”

The partnership “further builds on the vision, support and investment of Speaker Sheldon Silver and the New York State Assembly in establishing the NanoCollege and New York State as global hubs for nanotechnology innovation, education, and economic development and growth,” says CNSE’s senior VP & CEO Dr. Alain E. Kaloyeros. “This collaboration will enable APIC, a recognized leader in next-generation photonics technologies, to break new ground in the development of innovative photonics integrated circuits, and put CNSE at the leading edge of systems and interconnect research, development and commercialization, while enhancing the state-of-the-art capabilities at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech Complex,” he adds. 

The partnership between APIC and CNSE also includes the potential for further R&D initiatives in the future, which may involve the location of additional APIC employees at CNSE’s Albany NanoTech Complex.

Tags: PIC

Visit: www.cnse.albany.edu

Visit: www.apichip.com