The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency awarded Georgia TECH Research Corp a definitive cost-no-fee contract valued at $5.2 million for the Heterogeneous Adaptively Produced Photonic Interfaces (HAPPI) program. The contract, awarded March 11, 2025, with performance concluding September 10, 2026, supports development of high-density three-dimensional chip-to-chip and intra-chip optical routing in integrated photonic microsystems. Under the solicitation, Georgia TECH will address a two-phase 18-month approach focused on proving the feasibility of advanced photonic 3D routing and demonstrating array density and manufacturability, with the ultimate objective of achieving a 1,000x increase in information transmission density within microsystems through photonic signaling rather than traditional electronic methods.
The work will be performed in Atlanta, Georgia, and represents one component of DARPA's larger $30 million HAPPI program, which anticipated multiple awards across various research performers. The specific technical requirements include achieving optical loss per link below 1 dB, supporting link arrays up to 1,000 x 1,000 channels, operating across a 400-1,800 nanometer wavelength range, and integrating active material platforms into functional links with a minimum of four waveguide layers per chip. As the research arm of Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia TECH Research Corp brings substantial expertise in advanced photonics, materials science, and federal research execution, with established relationships across multiple Defense Department agencies and a demonstrated track record delivering complex research and development initiatives.