[Pixeurope-mct] Collaborative R&D Projects

[Valerio Pruneri]

Kevin, Noelia and Guillermo (cc. all MCT)

In preparation to our meeting with Chips JU on Friday, it is important to see where Collaborative R&D Projects fit, more specifically whether they are already described in the Grant Agreements. I send below what I could find related to this. I am less worried about the other conditions of the partner’s work in Collaborative R&D Projects to be justified in the tasks.

Horizon Europe (HE)
T2.5: Collaborations (ICFO, all) M1-M60 This task is focused on building its network and strengthening the European photonics and semiconductor ecosystem by forming synergistic collaborations with other key initiatives, including at European and national levels. First, we engage with the four previously approved Pilot Lines (CPL1-4) to identify collaboration opportunities. For example, collaborate on training programmes and workshops to highlight the benefits and opportunities of accessing Pilot Lines. We plan to work closely with the Heterogeneous Integration Pilot Line (CPL-3 coordinated by Fraunhofer[1]IZM) to identify areas of common interest, such as developing design standards for integrating photonic and electronic components (discussions have already started). We will also collaborate with the new European Design Platform to support PIXEurope in developing and rolling out its standardised Design Kits (PDKs, ADKs and TDKs). Additionally, we will collaborate with the new European Competence Centres to develop and roll out PIXEurope’s online and hands[1]on training courses. Particular attention will be paid to the expectations from Competence Centres, and where they see gaps in the training landscape. We will identify and build collaborations with other large-scale European initiatives, such as PhotonHub Europe, Europractice, JePPIX and ePIXfab. PIXEurope’s partners are members of these initiatives that will accelerate this opportunity. At a national level, PIXEurope will collaborate with regional funding agencies to support local companies and researchers access public funds to use the Pilot Line services. We will identify metrics and align to quality control activities and data needs from Competence Centres and the Design Platform within the first year. The first edition of D11.7 will be delivered in M12. These will be used to fine tune the interfaces and functional extensions for the Digital Platform in WP4. Design-as-a-service is not intended within the project as there are commercial services and CHIPS JU instruments such as the Design Platform and Competence Centres to address this. Europe has approximately ten businesses with the proven competence to deliver design-as-a-service. The consortium will develop proactive support methods to enable design-as[1]a-service via the Design Platform by providing training materials and continuously upgraded Design Kits.

T4.7: Access through Chips JU Design platform (TU/e - IMEC, IT, VTT, ICFO, UVIGO, CEA-LETI) M31-M60 The primarily goal of this task is the integration of the design capability with the wider European ecosystem. Key subtasks include • Open access methods definition in terms of the technical work flow descriptions to provide Design Kit access and support with other programs • Industry engagement, providing an interface and integration with the Design Platform project and the wider design software and Open Access foundry community in Europe. Open access support materials will be developed for onward dissemination materials to inform the wider design automation community of the advanced capabilities. This will include contributions at scientific events, and standards forums, for the benefit of the European and national initiatives which will benefit from Design Kit capabilities and methodologies. The materials will be disseminated via work packages 10 and 11. Focus areas will be on the PIXEurope Design Kit data model for commercialising new platforms with more technical content focusing on design methods for manufacturability and design for test, assembly and packaging. Briefing materials and training course content will be created in comparable formats by all platform creators. The wider commercial Open Access community is well connected to the partners. TU/e and IMEC will explore possibilities to formalise relations within the JePPIX and ePIXfab communities to broaden the number of service providers using the same design approaches. PIXEurope Design Kits will be shared via the Design Platform to provide a clear division between commercial activities and research activities. A way of working will be codeveloped with the Design Platform to enable software vendors to embed advanced PIXEurope Design Kits in their own software and benefit from the automated validation methods. The sharing of standards and methods in an open way is expected to stimulate other commercial and research foundries to align with the same methods and provide services in a comparable format. Partners will proactively encourage the adoption of best practice developed within the Pilot Line. The Digital Platform is particularly well suited to supporting the wider third-party developer community. The design capabilities developed by third parties are referred to as Design Kit Instances, and these will be validated also to ensure designers can be confident with validation methods developed within the project being extendable to proprietary Design Kit Instances. PIX Europe will extend the Foundry base to the full range of European Research and Development platforms, and additionally extend for assembly and testing.

Digital Europe Programme (DEP)
In task 3.3:
The Gateway will prepare the schedule for the roll-out of MPW services, including chip and hybrid integration MPW runs, packaging multi-project runs, and test and reliability services. The schedule providing details of all services will be prepared in M30, with the planned roll-out of services starting in year 3 and fully operational during the final year of the project grant period. Open Calls for proposals will also be prepared to accelerate the uptake of PIXEurope’s advanced services. They will also encourage users to avail of PIXEurope’s full PIC technology chain, from chip to package and test, to encourage the development of full semiconductor systems. This will follow a similar approach taken by the other ChipsJU Pilot Lines. These Open Calls will be accessible to all EU stakeholders, including universities, RTOs, SMEs and large-scale companies, and will adopt a fair and non-discriminatory selection process. Open Calls will be announced in Year 4 to correlate with the timing of the MPW schedule. PIXEurope will review, discuss and take advice from the other ChipsJU Pilot Lines (CPL1-4) to ensure best practice is followed for this important initiative.
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