A Collaborative Effort with MIT FUTUR-IC
The INEMI Adhesives Characterization for Optical Packaging (ACOP) Project is a collaborative effort between INEMI and MIT FUTUR-IC involving a cross-functional team of engineers and scientists from industry, academia and research institutes. This project aims to accelerate development and adoption of optical adhesive materials and testing methods to ensure the processability and performance required for future photonics and optoelectronics applications. This project and other work managed by MIT is supported by NSF Convergence Accelerator Track I: FUTUR-IC: A Resource-Efficient Microchip Research Manufacturing Alliance, Award Number ITE-2345076.
Background
The motivation for the ACOP Project is to address the lack of important infrastructure for the development of polymeric interconnect solutions for electronic-photonic packaging (EPP) and other optoelectronics systems. These include the lack of industry-accepted test methods and test vehicles for optical packaging and robust relevant standards for their design, processing and testing for high-volume manufacturing.
These types of EPP systems will be used in growing numbers of high-data applications from AI-driven data centers to autonomous vehicles. IDTechEx is forecasting 1.8 million optical I/O units to be shipped by 2033, with a predicted growth in co-packaged optics in particular forecasted to exceed US$1.2 billion by 2035 (Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) 2025-2035: Technologies, Market, and Forecasts),
There is a clear need to develop this infrastructure in a timely manner with active support and consistent engagement from industry. One of the goals of this work is the accelerated adoption and implementation of cost-effective, resource-efficient solutions to meet the optical and mechanical performance requirements of these advanced applications.
Project Goals
The primary goals of the ACOP project are:
- Identify key adhesive materials properties to ensure thermal stability and optimize optical and mechanical performance for efficient high-volume assembly of EPP systems
- Define relevant material characterization techniques and develop test methodologies for optical adhesives
- Define and develop test devices and vehicles for industry use and standards development
- Increase the knowledgebase in these new materials and develop the skills to identify and select resource-efficient interconnect solutions to enable optical packaging of the future
- Identify challenges for high-volume use in optical and optoelectronic system assembly
Survey Results
In Q4 2024, INEMI completed its survey strategy targeting industry, commercial and academic organizations involved in assembling electronic-photonic packaging systems. More than 40 responses from 28 companies were received. The largest number of respondents were from adhesive suppliers, followed by organizations involved in assembly and test of electronics packages and systems, and contract manufacturing houses.
In addition to soliciting information on the type of EPP systems involved in designing and manufacturing, the survey requested feedback on the diverse test standards (e.g., ASTM, MIL, IEC) utilized to characterize materials; the technical criteria (optical transmission, reliability, costs, etc.) employed in material selection; and their respective rankings. The survey further asked for expressions of interest in supporting education for workforce development programs supporting the industry’s move to high-volume manufacturing of EPP systems.
As the largest publicly available survey focused on polymeric materials for EPP packaging, the results constitute a valuable reference point for activities in this project in 2025 to include development of suitable test vehicles and methods. Download the webinar presentation and recording: Optical Adhesive Survey for High-Volume Photonics Deployment
Presentation
ACOP INEMI MIT Feb, 2026 ppt
Project Call-for-Participation Webinar (May 14, 2025)
Contact
Mark Schaffer
[email protected]