CORNERSTONE 2.5

Many world-leading research groups around the UK have capability for design and characterisation of Silicon Photonics (SiPh) devices. However, fabrication of SiPh systems requires large scale investments and capital equipment, e.g. cleanrooms, lithography, etching equipment etc. CORNERSTONE 2.5 would provide advanced fabrication capability to SiPh researchers and the wider science community. Whilst SiPh is the focus of the bid, it also supports fabrication of other technologies that utilise similar processes, such as MEMS or microfluidics, as well as supporting any research area that requires high-resolution lithography.
The funds requested will support the development of new capabilities to enhance the existing SiPh material platforms available from CORNERSTONE 1 & 2, which have so far launched 30 multi-project-wafer (MPW) batches, supporting 238 design submissions from 58 research groups. Access to the new capabilities will be via an MPW mechanism and will be free of charge for UK academics for months 13-18 of the grant and 75% subsidised by the grant for months 19-24. In 2020, the success of CORNERSTONE led to it being invited to join EUROPRACTICE, a premier broker for MPW services, positioning the CORNERSTONE brand alongside global superpowers such as TSMC and Global Foundries. Now is the time to build on this momentum with CORNERSTONE 2.5 to add new capabilities and accelerate emerging inter-disciplinary research areas that benefit from the enabling technology that is SiPh. 64 partners submitting letters of support for CORNERSTONE 2.5 agree with this sentiment.