Whatever the performance or level of innovation we can inject in a die, its system-level performance can only be leveraged when operating as part of a suitable package. Packaging development is thus a mandatory step in the silicon photonics area not only for the realization of a demonstrator but also regarding large-scale volume manufacturing.

The assembly of evaluation boards for the fabricated PIC100- and PIC200-based PICs and the EICs as well as the demonstrators in WP5 require packaging and assembly methods capable to support extremely high signal bandwidth which will be addressed in subtask 4.4.1. The combination of high optical I/O density, coupling efficiency, and input power for edge and surface coupling approaches is enabled by the coupling components developed in subtask 4.4.2, while facilities for low-cost optical packaging are realized in subtask 4.4.4 to enable high volume assembly of optical coupling components on the PICs. High density electrical packaging technologies for photonic applications in space radiation environmental conditions are provided by activities on In-bumping in subtask 4.4.3.