Testing 1 | Centre for Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuits and Systems

Our Silicon Photonics Testing and Characterization Facility provides comprehensive electrical, optical, and electro-optical characterization of silicon photonic devices. The facility currently supports high-speed measurements up to 50 GHz for wafer-level and packaged device characterization. The laboratory is equipped with FormFactor semi-automatic and fully automatic 8-inch wafer probe stations, enabling precise and repeatable wafer-level testing of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and high-speed optoelectronic devices. Advanced instrumentation from Keysight Technologies, including a Lightwave Component Analyzer (LCA), Arbitrary Waveform Generator (AWG), and Real-Time Oscilloscope (RTO), enables comprehensive DC, RF, optical, and electro-optical characterization. The facility supports both grating-coupled and edge-coupled optical interfacing, allowing flexible characterization of a wide range of silicon photonic devices and integrated photonic platforms.

RF & Optical Coupling Mechanism

Wafer-level characterization platform featuring grating coupling, edge coupling, RF probing, and software-controlled measurements for comprehensive si-photonic device testing.

Automatic E/O - O/E Measurement

An end-to-end automated characterization platform enabling high-speed electro-optic testing of silicon photonic integrated circuits from research prototyping to wafer-scale evaluation.

Optical Coupling and RF Probing

Zoomed-in microscope view of a silicon photonic device under wafer level testing, showing aligned optical fibers and a GSG RF probe for simultaneous electro-optic characterization.

Semi-Automatic Probe Station

This semi-automatic probe station is designed for precise optical and electrical characterization of silicon photonic devices at both the die level and wafer level. Equipped with a high-resolution microscope, precision probe positioners, and a vacuum chuck, the system can accommodate individual dies as well as wafers up to 6 inches in diameter. The flexible probing architecture enables accurate alignment of optical fibers and RF/DC probes for comprehensive electro-optic measurements.

Active Device Characterization

This setup is dedicated to the characterization of active silicon photonic devices at both the die level and 6 inches wafer level, including photodetectors, modulators, and electro-optic integrated circuits, using a semi-automatic probe station. The facility integrates high-speed electrical and optical instrumentation, including an Arbitrary Waveform Generator (AWG), Real-Time Oscilloscope (RTO), Optical Spectrum Analyzer (OSA), Erbium-Doped Fiber Amplifier (EDFA), Mach-Zehnder Modulator (MZM), and precision bias controllers. The platform enables comprehensive evaluation of both static and dynamic device performance under realistic operating conditions.

Quantum Photonics Research Facility

This facility is equipped with an 8-channel Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detector (SNSPD) system operating at cryogenic temperatures of approximately 4 K, enabling ultra-sensitive single-photon measurements with excellent timing resolution and low dark-count rates. Integrated with dedicated detector drivers, time-tagging electronics, and photon-count acquisition software, the platform supports a broad range of experiments in quantum optics, quantum communication, Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), and integrated quantum photonics.