Photonic building blocks for architectural reconfigurability in hyperscale data centres

In this paper we introduce two European projects and one UK project, which will respectively develop an eco-system for advanced integrated photonic technologies for reconfigurable WDM hyperscale data centre architectures and quantum networking. Horizon Europe DYNAMOS project is developing the building blocks for reconfigurable WDM architectures including driverless electro-optic modulators, tuneable lasers and a novel under-board fibre flexplane system. Horizon Europe ADOPTION is developing co-packaged optics solutions for an ultra-high bandwidth silicon photonic PIC transceiver. InnovateUK QPICPAC is developing a novel stamped metallic micro-mirror array for advanced PIC-to-fibre coupling with the potential to dramatically reduce PIC design and assembly costs. Although the latter is a quantum project, the advanced PIC coupling technologies will be immediately deployable in co-packaged optics applications.