Photonics assembly company PHIX has opened a cleanroom and office facility in Bozeman, Montana, to expand its US operations and support the development of photonic technologies.
The facility was officially opened on 7 October during a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by PHIX chief executive Albert Hasper, representatives from photonics industry organisation Optica, industry executives and Montana officials.
The new site will provide packaging and assembly capabilities for photonic integrated circuits (PICs), complementing the region’s existing expertise in chip design, development and testing.
PICs use light to transmit or process information and are used in applications including telecommunications, data communications and sensing.
Packaging and assembly integrate photonic chips with the optical and electrical connections needed to operate within a finished device.
PHIX has not disclosed the facility’s cleanroom classification, floor area or production capacity.
Supporting Montana’s photonics industry
The facility forms part of Montana’s Integrated Photonics Ecosystem, which brings together businesses and research organisations working across photonic chip development and commercialisation.
By adding packaging and assembly to the region’s capabilities, PHIX aims to help bridge the gap between PIC development and the processes required to bring products to market.
“Montana has built a strong combination of industry, research, and public investment around photonics, and we are excited to be part of that growth,” said Hasper.
He added that the facility would provide a base for PHIX to grow its US presence and support companies developing new photonic technologies.
