Photonic integrated circuits in 2026: overview
Photonic integrated circuits combine light sources, waveguides, modulators, filters and detectors on a chip, replacing optical systems built from separately aligned components. They matter as data-center and AI links push bandwidth and power demands beyond what electrical interconnects can efficiently serve. Manufacturing tolerance, packaging and test remain important barriers to scaling reliable devices.
October 2026 studies reported phase-change antimony selenide switches on silicon nitride and hybrid Raman and Kerr effects across materials; a manufacturing-aware workflow linked layout, process simulation and AI surrogate models. In November 2026, CNRS's ERCLAPHO grant targeted phase errors caused by fabrication variation. Together, these efforts address a core challenge: component performance must hold up through fabrication, coupling and packaging.
- 1Design for variation: Fabrication-induced phase errors are driving work on error mitigation and manufacturing-aware simulation, bringing process tolerance into PIC design rather than leaving it to later testing.
- 2Materials work together: Hybrid nonlinear optics and phase-change switching show how combining materials can add functions that silicon or silicon nitride alone cannot readily provide.
- 3Packaging moves center stage: As optical links move closer to processors, coupling, alignment and test are becoming as important to deployment as the PIC itself.
Top organizations working on photonic integrated circuits
Ranked by Linknovate activity score · last 24 monthsThe activity score adds up the relevance of every patent, publication, grant and news item linking an organization to photonic integrated circuits. Showing 7 of 2,387 organizations.
| # | Organization | Approach | Signals (24 mo) | Momentum | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
Intel Corporation
Corporate · United States |
Silicon photonics | PAT 55 · PUB 31 NEWS 624 |
-56% | Recently, Intel reported high-volume 300 mm InP-on-silicon photonics capability and patented co-packaged-optics assemblies, targeting high-bandwidth optical interconnects. |
| 2 | 
Zhejiang University
Research · China |
Heterogeneous integration | PUB 282 · NEWS 6 | -31% | Recently, Zhejiang University researchers reported a chalcogenide-on-silicon platform for active and passive devices at the 2 μm waveband, alongside work on integrated switches and multipurpose circuits. |
| 3 | 
University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Research · China |
Heterogeneous integration | PUB 323 | -25% | University researchers investigate multilayer photonic integration, including silicon nitride and aluminum nitride structures, and compact switches and couplers for integrated circuits. |
| 4 | 
Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS
Research · China |
Heterogeneous integration | PUB 279 · NEWS 13 | +43% | CAS researchers work on multi-material photonic integration and PIC building blocks, including low-loss thermo-optic phase shifters for programmable circuits. |
| 5 | 
Nvidia
Corporate · United States |
Silicon photonics | PAT 2 · PUB 22 NEWS 451 |
+14% | NVIDIA is associated with research on a 3D-stacked silicon-photonics optical I/O platform, relevant to high-bandwidth links between computing components. |
| 6 | 
Ghent University
Research · Belgium |
Silicon nitride | PAT 5 · PUB 125 GRANTS 1 · NEWS 12 |
-43% | Ghent University researchers develop silicon nitride PIC receivers and heterogeneous optoelectronic integration, including micro-transfer-printed photodiodes and fabrication-tolerant coupling for quantum photonics. |
| 7 | 
Shanghai JiaoTong University
Research · China |
Silicon photonics | PUB 187 · NEWS 9 | -41% | Shanghai Jiao Tong University researchers develop silicon-photonic transmitters and dense waveguide structures, as well as modular heterogeneous integration using micro-transfer printing. |
| 8 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 9 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
| 10 | ··Hidden organizationCompany | Approach | PAT 00 · PUB 00 GRANTS 0 · NEWS 00 | +00% | Available to registered users. |
Startups to watch and leading research centers
Startups to watch 102 total
Lightmatter Inc.United StatesLightmatter patents PIC components and packaging, including integrated isolators, fiber-to-chip couplers, and glass-substrate structures for optical coupling.
Celestial AiUnited StatesCelestial AI develops photonic-fabric interconnects for AI systems, with patented packages that stack electronic circuitry on photonic circuit layers.
Ayar Labs Inc.United StatesAyar Labs develops co-packaged optical engines for chip-to-chip links and has patented through-backside fiber coupling to PIC dies.- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
- ··Hidden startupCountryAvailable to registered users, with funding and founding year.
Leading research institutions 1,710 total
- Zhejiang UniversityChinaRecently, Zhejiang University researchers reported a chalcogenide-on-silicon platform for active and passive devices at the 2 μm waveband, alongside work on integrated switches and multipurpose circuits.
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesChinaUniversity researchers investigate multilayer photonic integration, including silicon nitride and aluminum nitride structures, and compact switches and couplers for integrated circuits.
- Chinese Academy of Sciences CASChinaCAS researchers work on multi-material photonic integration and PIC building blocks, including low-loss thermo-optic phase shifters for programmable circuits.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
- ··Hidden research institutionCountryAvailable to registered users, with their key researchers.
Where photonic integrated circuits innovation happens
Share of documents with at least one organization from each country.
Open the interactive map with all 2,387 organizationsMain technical approaches
Last 24 months| Approach | What it is | Documents | Leading organizations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon photonics | CMOS-compatible silicon supports dense integration, but its indirect bandgap means light sources generally require external or integrated gain materials. | 2,261 |
PICS, Zhejiang University, Pic Co. Sa |
| Indium phosphide | Indium phosphide supports active devices and light generation on-chip, but fabrication and scaling can be more complex than silicon-based processes. | 875 |
PICS, Pic Co. Sa, Intel Corporation |
| Silicon nitride | Silicon nitride enables low-loss routing, but its weak electro-optic response makes active functions harder to integrate directly. | 1,189 |
PICS, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne, IMEC |
| Silica planar circuits | Silica planar circuits offer stable, low-loss optical routing, but their larger components limit integration density. | 255 |
PICS, Jilin University, Zhejiang University |
| Heterogeneous integration | Combining materials can pair active devices with efficient routing, but interfaces and process control complicate manufacturing. | 918 |
PICS, Photonic Integrated Circuits, Pic Co. Sa |
| Thin-film lithium niobate | Thin-film lithium niobate supports fast electro-optic modulation, but scaling integration and packaging remains challenging. | 1,002 |
PICS, Pic Co. Sa, Intel Corporation |
Emerging trends
Last 12 months vs previous 36 monthsTerms whose frequency in the last 12 months grew the most compared with the previous 36 months.
Funding and investment
Recent funding rounds
Since 2020, grants total $1,252,252,293 across 541 awards. A recent example is CNRS's ERCLAPHO grant, dated November 2026, which targets fabrication-induced phase errors.
Patent landscape
Top patent holders · last 24 monthsRecent developments
Latest news, duplicates removed- Oct 2026Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology published a technical paper titled “Low-loss ultra-compact photonic bends with enhanced fabrication tolerance for commercial foundry processes.” Abstract Excerpt: “We…Semiconductor Engineering
- Aug 2026PICs (photonic integrated circuits) make it possible for optical communication to take place not only using fiber optics and separate parts but also in the semiconductor environment. This means that PIC technology…Electronicsmedia
- Aug 2026San Francisco, Aug. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Q/C Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: QCLS) (“Q/C Technologies” or “the Company”), a developer of next-generation optical computing solutions, today announced the appointment…GlobeNewswire - Industry News on Technology
- Jul 2026Dublin, July 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "The Global Silicon Photonics and Photonics Integrated Circuits Market 2026-2036" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The Global Silicon Photonics and…GlobeNewswire - Research Analysis And Reports
- Month 20XXHidden developmentAvailable to registered users with alerts enabled.
Frequently asked questions about photonic integrated circuits
What companies are working on photonic integrated circuits?
FACTS identifies 677 companies among 2,387 organizations, including Intel Corporation, Nvidia, Globalfoundries, Samsung and Lightmatter Inc. Their activities span silicon photonics, optical interconnects, packaging and PIC components. Intel Corporation and Nvidia are associated with high-bandwidth optical links, while Lightmatter Inc. focuses on PIC components and packaging.
Which photonic integrated circuits startups are the most promising in 2026?
The 102 startups include Lightmatter Inc., Celestial AI and Ayar Labs Inc., each with a distinct PIC focus. Lightmatter works on components and packaging; Celestial AI develops photonic-fabric interconnects; and Ayar Labs develops co-packaged optical engines for chip-to-chip links. These examples point to startup activity around optical connectivity and integration.
Which universities and research centers lead photonic integrated circuits research?
Prominent research organizations include the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, with 323 recent-window documents, Chinese Academy of Sciences CAS, with 292, and Zhejiang University, with 288. Their work includes multilayer photonic integration, low-loss phase shifters and chalcogenide-on-silicon devices. These organizations represent different strands of materials and circuit research.
How much funding has photonic integrated circuits received?
FACTS records $1,252,252,293 in grants across 541 awards since 2020. The total indicates substantial public and research funding, although it does not describe funding available to any single company or project. A recent example is the CNRS ERCLAPHO grant, dated November 2026, focused on mitigating fabrication-induced phase errors.
Who holds the most photonic integrated circuits patents?
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company leads the listed patent holders with 91, followed by Celestial Ai with 61 and Intel Corporation with 55. Other leading holders include Samsung, Lightmatter Inc. and CiscoTechnology Inc. The list reflects patent activity across chip manufacturing, optical interconnects and PIC packaging.
Is photonic integrated circuits patent activity growing?
No: patent activity is down 36.3% in the latest 12 months versus the previous 12 months. The 24-month window contains 2,069 patents. These figures describe recent activity, not the long-term potential of the technology; publication activity also declined, by 3.7% in the latest 12 months.
What are the latest developments in photonic integrated circuits?
October 2026 research reported low-loss, nonvolatile antimony selenide switches on silicon nitride and hybrid Raman and Kerr nonlinearities across materials. Other recent work addresses fabrication tolerance, visible-spectrum photonics and micro-transfer-printed optical transmitters. Together, these developments extend PIC functionality while targeting manufacturability and integration.
What are the main approaches in photonic integrated circuits and how do they differ?
The main approaches are silicon photonics, indium phosphide, silicon nitride, silica planar circuits, heterogeneous integration and thin-film lithium niobate. Silicon supports dense, foundry-compatible circuits; indium phosphide supports active devices; and silicon nitride and silica offer low-loss routing. Heterogeneous integration combines materials, while lithium niobate is used for electro-optic functions.
What are the applications of photonic integrated circuits?
FACTS lists telecommunications and data centers (4,132 documents), quantum technologies (1,768) and sensing and lidar (1,582) as application areas. Other applications include optical computing and biomedical and chemical analysis. PICs can combine optical functions on-chip for communication, measurement and processing systems.