India Co-packaged Photonics Anti-tracking

India has made significant strides in co-packaged photonics with indigenous silicon photonics packaging platforms and quantum random number generators for secure applications.

Co-Packaged Photonics in India

India's Centre of Excellence for Programmable Photonic Integrated Circuits and Systems (CoE-CPPICS) at IIT Madras has recently launched two indigenously developed silicon photonics products. These include a Fiber-Array Unit (FAU) Attachment Tool for photonic chip packaging and a high-speed silicon photonic Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG). The FAU tool enables precise integration of fiber arrays with photonic chips, supporting next-generation miniaturized photonics packaging, and can be seamlessly integrated with commercial facilities like Izmo Microsystems' packaging line . The QRNG module provides high-speed, secure random number generation, critical for IT security, cryptography, quantum key distribution, and blockchain applications. It has been successfully deployed at SETS Chennai and delivered to DRDO for advanced quantum cryptography applications .

High-Density Silicon Photonics Packaging

izmomicro, a division of Izmo Ltd., has achieved a breakthrough in high-density silicon photonics packaging. Their platform supports 32-channel fiber input/output with insertion loss below 2 dB, integrates 32 DC I/Os and 4 RF I/Os, and delivers high-speed RF performance up to 70 GHz. This level of integration addresses one of the major bottlenecks in co-packaged photonics, enabling scalable optical interconnects for AI, cloud computing, 5G/6G networks, and hyperscale data centers . The platform's precision relies on nanometer-scale optical alignment and seamless photonic-electronic integration, positioning India among a select group of countries capable of delivering advanced co-packaged photonics solutions.

Anti-Tracking and Security Applications

The QRNG modules developed in India serve as a key anti-tracking and security technology. By generating truly random numbers at high speed, these modules enhance cryptographic security, prevent predictable patterns in secure communications, and support quantum-safe encryption. This is particularly relevant for military, defense, financial transactions, and secure IT infrastructure, ensuring that sensitive data remains protected against tracking or interception .

Ecosystem and Commercialization

The CoE-CPPICS has also developed a universal packaged PPIC test engine with 96-channel power supply, DFB lasers, balanced photodetectors, and RF amplifiers, enabling plug-and-play testing of packaged photonic integrated circuits. This infrastructure supports scalable R&D and commercialization of photonics products in India . The QRNG module is being commercialized through the CPPICS spin-off LightOnChip Pvt. Ltd., while Izmo Microsystems provides high-precision packaging services, creating a domestic ecosystem for photonics innovation .

Summary

India's advancements in co-packaged photonics combine high-density packaging, fiber array integration, and quantum random number generation to support secure, high-speed optical communication and computing. These developments not only enhance anti-tracking and cryptographic capabilities but also position India as a growing player in the global photonics and semiconductor ecosystem.