DARPA-SN-25-88.pdf

DARPA-SN-25-88

Special Notice Request for Information:

Very Large-scale Photonic Integration (VLPI)

DARPA-SN-25-88

June 24, 2025

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Microsystems Technology Office 675 North Randolph Street Arlington, VA 22203-2114

Request for Information (RFI) Special Notice DARPA-SN-25-88

Very Large-scale Photonic Integration (VLPI) Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

Microsystems Technology Office (MTO)

Posting Date: June 24, 2025 Responses Due: July 15, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) Technical POC: Dr. Anna Tauke-Pedretti, MTO Program Manager E-mail: DARPA-SN-25-88@darpa.mil

RFI DESCRIPTION:

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) seeks information on the feasibility, manufacturability and application space of Very Large-scale Photonic Integration (VLPI). DARPA is interested in disruptive ideas and concepts significantly beyond current practice. Approaches resulting in incremental improvement and mere description of existing capabilities or prior work without a clear vision for advancing the field are not of interest.

Responses to this RFI may be used to inform future program development.

BACKGROUND:

Light-based processing can be fundamentally extremely fast and energy efficient. In fact, computation by propagation at time-of-flight latency for several key processing functions in the optical domain are nearly power dissipation-free. Recent advancements in photonic integrated circuits manufacturing have created the capability to fabricate high performance photonic integrated circuits in large format wafers.

Leveraging these advancements to develop Very Large-scale Photonics Integration (VLPI) will harness the unique properties of photonic circuits at scale and unleash entirely new approaches and capabilities.1 However, today photonics is only attempted as a replacement of isolated functions (e.g., matrix multiplication) in otherwise digital electronic architectures.

Present photonic circuit innovation is focused on device2 performance, not on circuit-enabled functionality. While today’s integrated photonics leverages the manufacturing infrastructure of microelectronics, it lacks the design methodologies and circuit design expertise to achieve photonic circuits with millions of components. Robust, circuit-level photonic design automation will facilitate the establishment of fabless design ecosystem and enable exploration of new applications.

DARPA is seeking to understand what capabilities might be enabled by focusing on maximizing the functions in the optical domain and to understand the state of the art and what remaining challenges exist in the design of such circuits.

REQUESTED INFORMATION:

DARPA seeks innovative insights to address the areas described below. Responses are welcome from all capable sources including, but not limited to, private or public companies, individuals, universities, 1 A. Tauke-Pedretti, R. Bogoslovov, A. Patel, and C. Haughn; DARPA HAPPI: New Dimensions in Photonics, in Optical Fiber Communication Conference (OFC) 2025 2 E.g. splitter, phase shifter, waveguide, photodetector, modulator, coupler mailto:DARPA-SN-25-88@darpa.mil university-affiliated research centers, not-for-profit research institutions, and U.S. Government-sponsored labs. Responses can address one or both areas:

1. What applications are uniquely enabled by VLPI photonic circuits? DARPA is interested in system-level concepts with rich functionality that cascade and combine optical functions while minimizing or avoiding E-O conversions to create advanced capability for the DoD. Responses should include information on the following aspects:

a. What are the benefits of the VLPI circuits in terms of overall system performance? Provide link budgets, comparisons against electronic approaches, or similar analysis as supporting evidence.

b. How does the application space allow for the minimization of E-O transductions or take advantage of data that is already in the optical domain?

c. Description the algorithms that would be implemented in a VLPI circuit and how they offer significant improvement from the electrical domain.

The following are not of interest:

a. Concepts that mimic digital computing architecture or provide no system-level benefit compared to digital electronics

b. Concepts focused on parallelizing a single isolated function (e.g., matrix multiplication) in otherwise digital electronics architectures

2. What are current limitations and new approaches in design automation that address the unique challenges of VLPI photonic circuit design? Of interest are methodologies for manufacture-aware automated VLPI design flow and large-scale circuit simulation capabilities. This includes novel constituent representations, design algorithms, and experimentally calibrated and validated physics-accurate models allowing exploration of massively scaled size and complexity, while faithfully representing the unique aspects of light propagation and interaction at the integrated circuit level. Responses should include information on the following aspects of the concept:

a. What is the state-of the-art in today’s photonics design tools? Describe any limitations to accurately model a large and sophisticated photonic circuit?

b. What methodologies exist to integrate and account for manufacturing variability in photonic circuit designs?

c. What are the inherent limits on the maximum size of the photonic circuit that can be modeled while maintaining physics accuracy?

d. What are some novel approaches to realize physics-accurate compact models for large scale photonic circuits?

e. What are some novel photonic design algorithms and automation methodologies?

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

Responses to this RFI should be submitted no later than 2:00 p.m. ET on July 15, 2025.

Unclassified responses to this RFI should be submitted to DARPA-SN-25-88@darpa.mil. NO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION SHOULD BE SENT TO DARPA-SN-25-88@darpa.mil.

Classified responses should be coordinated with DARPA prior to submission. Respondents wishing to provide a classified response should send an e-mail to DARPA-SN-25-88@darpa.mil with the subject line “Classified Coordination Requested”. Respondents should allow at least three (3) business days for processing requests. NO CLASSIFIED INFORMATION SHOULD BE SENT TO DARPA-SN-25-88@darpa.mil.

To the maximum extent possible, respondents should submit non-proprietary information. If proprietary information is submitted, it must be appropriately and specifically marked. It is the respondent’s responsibility to clearly define to the Government what is considered proprietary data. Any proprietary information should be clearly labeled as “Proprietary.” DARPA will disclose submission contents only for the purpose of review by DARPA staff, other Government agencies, or DARPA Support Contractors/SETAs.

NOTE: DARPA intends to conduct individual discussions with respondents as necessary to gain a full understanding of the technical and partnership models submitted. DARPA will contact respondents individually via e-mail.

FORMAT INSTRUCTIONS:

Responses to the RFI should be concise. Respondents should submit a single integrated response addressing one or more of the areas described above. DARPA will only review responses submitted as an unprotected Microsoft Word/PowerPoint document or PDF file. Each response is limited to no more than 7 pages using 11-point font and 1-inch margins on 8.5-inch by 11-inch page size. Effective responses that can be provided in fewer than 7 pages are encouraged. Any submitted material in excess of these limits will not be reviewed.

Responses should adhere to the following formatting instructions:

1. Cover page (1 page, included in page count)

a. Title

b. Organization(s)

c. Respondent’s technical and administrative points of contact (names, addresses, phone and fax numbers, and email addresses)

2. Technical areas (3 pages maximum per technical area)

a. A discussion of the capabilities/challenges addressed (from your perspective)

b. Theoretical and/or simulation discussion

c. Development strategy

d. Estimated time to availability and risk assessment (technical and other)

3. References (1 page, not included in page count)

a. All references to previously published work should be contained within this space.

4. Optional: Summary slides (1 summary slide and 1 technical description slide per area addressed)

a. Responses are requested to include slides that summarizes the main idea and development strategy. The purpose of these slides is to visually and succinctly indicate the new insights, main objectives, underlying technical mechanisms, fundamental assumptions and limitations, key innovations, expected impact, and/or other unique aspects of the response.

DARPACONNECT:

Entities who have not worked with DARPA before are encouraged to learn more about DARPAConnect, an initiative established to facilitate collaboration between DARPA and potential performers. The DARPAConnect team offers customized support, resources, and guidance on how to prepare your ideas for high-impact conversations with DARPA program managers. Please visit DARPAConnect.us to access a digital hub of online resources, including a curriculum for self-paced learning, personalized support, and in-person and virtual events. In addition to the self-paced online materials, the DARPAConnect team is able to schedule one-on-one conversations to discuss your specific ideas, questions, and paths to DARPA.

You can use the contact form at DARPAConnect.us or email the DARPAConnect team directly at darpaconnect@darpa.mil to request assistance.

MTO SPARK TANK:

Those interested in engaging further with the Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) are welcome and encouraged to attend MTO Spark Tank on July 24-25 in Aurora, Colorado. This in-person event is a unique opportunity for organizations and individuals to learn more about MTO’s mission and technical thrust areas (including photonic, quantum, and organic circuits; microsystems manufacturing tools and approaches; and dual-use by design technologies), meet with DARPA program managers and leaders, and learn about how to work with DARPA. For further details and registration information, please visit the event registration site.

ADMINISTRATIVE:

This announcement contains all information required to submit a response. No additional forms, kits, templates, or other materials are needed. All administrative and technical questions should be directed to DARPA-SN-25-88@darpa.mil. Please refer to the Special Notice number (DARPA-SN-25-88) in all correspondence.

This RFI is issued solely for information and program planning purposes and does not constitute a formal solicitation for proposals or proposal abstracts; any so sent will be disregarded. In accordance with FAR 15.201(e), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the Government to form a binding contract. Submission of a response is strictly voluntary and is not required to propose to subsequent Announcements (if any) or Solicitations (if any) on this topic. DARPA will not provide reimbursement for costs incurred in responding to this RFI. Respondents are advised that DARPA is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted under this RFI.

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