Research Fellow, CORNERSTONE
Bachelor’s degree in physics at Università degli Studi di Pavia in 2012 with final dissertation on surface plasmon polariton. Master degree in Physical Science at Università degli Studi di Pavia in 2014 with a project on Bragg reflectors made by polymeric films. PhD degree in Electronic Engineering at the University of Glasgow awarded in 2019 with a project on high power and narrow linewidth distributed feedback (DFB) lasers emitting at 852 nm and 1550 nm wavelength GaAs/AlGaAs and InP-based platforms for atomic clock application under Prof. Marc Sorel. Since 2018, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Glasgow in the Optoelectronics group on topics like narrow linewidth semiconductor lasers at 780 nm emission for quantum application and low-loss SiN platform. Since 2022, Researcher in the CORNERSTONE project in Glasgow for the development of the SOI platform for 1550 nm, focusing in particular on the integration of semiconductor laser source and photodetector on this platform.
Presentation: CORNERSTONE – the accessible Silicon Photonics platform
The UK photonics industry is a globally significant sector, driving innovation across strategic industries in the UK market. This market is projected to grow from $300M to $1.8B by 2029, with a remarkable CAGR of 43%, largely driven by Silicon Photonics, which holds the largest market share.
This growth is fuelled by the widespread adoption of Silicon Photonics in critical industries such as telecommunications and datacom over the past decade. More recently, emerging applications—including light detection and ranging (LiDAR), sensing, quantum photonics, programmable photonics, and artificial intelligence—have further expanded their impact. A key enabler of this innovation is the availability of competitive, open-access silicon photonics foundries, which are essential for research institutions and start-ups.
CORNERSTONE (now C-PIC), based at the Optoelectronics Research Centre in Southampton, was established in 2014 as an open-source, license-free silicon photonics foundry. Its rapid prototyping capabilities bridge the gap between research and industry by providing a flexible fabrication line using both e-beam and deep-UV lithography. This enables seamless scaling of production volumes while maintaining the ability for device-level innovation—crucial for researchers.
CORNERSTONE offers multiple material platforms, including 220nm and 340nm SOI, SiN, Ge-on-Si, and suspended Si, supporting a broad wavelength range from visible to telecom and mid-IR. Several developed and tested photonic components are available through an open-source Process Design Kit (PDK), with a constantly expanding library, for users to build their own photonic integrated circuits (PIC). Additional services—such as custom PDK components and active device integration (photodetectors and laser sources via pick-and-place)—will soon be available. All services are offered through a multi-project wafer (MPW) scheme, maximizing throughput and accessibility while remaining cost-effective for the customers.
Since its inception, CORNERSTONE has supported numerous research groups and companies in developing innovative technologies. It continues to maintain strong ties with the UK’s industrial and academic communities, with over 150 partners and users benefiting from its services.
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