Electro-optic materials developer NLM Photonics, Swiss photonic integrated circuit (PIC) foundry LIGENTEC SA, and design firm Spark Photonics have fabricated the first Silicon Nitride Organic Hybrid (NOH) modulators on a commercial photonics platform. The proof-of-concept milestone demonstrates a viable path for heterogeneously integrating NLM’s organic electro-optic (OEO) materials onto passive silicon nitride (SiN) substrates to enable active, low-loss modulation across visible and near-infrared wavelengths.
While standard silicon photonic circuits absorb light in the visible spectrum—restricting active silicon modulators to telecom bands—silicon nitride maintains a broad transparency window extending into visible wavelengths with low propagation loss. By applying NLM’s Selerion™ OEO material and a supplemental metallization layer as back-end-of-line (BEOL) processing steps on LIGENTEC’s SiN wafer platform, the collaboration creates active modulators suitable for photonic qubit routing, quantum key distribution (QKD), and laser control in trapped-atom systems.
| [ NLM Photonics NOH Modulator Architecture & Ecosystem Matrix ] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Collaborator & Role | Substrate & Material Layer | Quantum & Optical Specifications |
| • NLM Photonics: OEO Materials & Poling | • Selerion™ Organic Electro-Optic Glass | • Broad Transparency (Visible to 2.5 µm) |
| • LIGENTEC: SiN Foundry Fabrication | • Commercial Low-Loss SiN Wafer Platform | • BEOL Metallization & Active Modulators |
| • Spark Photonics: Layout & PDK Design | • Heterogeneous Integration PDK Rules | • High-Speed Photonic Qubit & Sensor Routing |
The technical achievement follows NLM Photonics expanding its investor base to secure its semiconductor materials supply chain and multi-foundry manufacturing pipeline. NLM added Pangaea Ventures and Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation’s venture arm, Diamond Edge Ventures, alongside follow-on investments from Emerald Technology Ventures, Tokyo Ohka Kogyo (TOK), Idemitsu Kosan, Oregon Venture Fund, and StoryHouse Ventures. The strategic syndicate provides NLM with industrial chemical supply and packaging support as it moves its organic hybrid modulators from single-wafer demonstrations into volume commercial foundry production.
Review the technical release on NLM Photonics Press here, and examine supply chain updates on NLM Strategic Financing here.
September 18, 2026
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