Boudewijn Docter is building the future of European technology with the Photonic Chip Pilot Line
Meet Boudewijn Docter: ‘After 25 years working in photonics, I am now involved in one of TNO's most ambitious projects yet – building Europe's first large-scale photonic integrated circuits pilot line.’ As Engineering Director, he is responsible for creating a production facility that has the capacity to manufacture 10,000 wafers annually, producing more than 10 million photonic chips.
‘This is not just R&D anymore; we are building actual production capacity that bridges the critical gap between proven science and market reality. While traditional chip manufacturing is struggling in the EU, photonic chips represent our chance to establish an entirely new industry and maintain Europe's technological autonomy.’
At the cutting edge
‘Photonics is deep tech at its most challenging – combining chip technology, quantum physics, and nanometer-scale manufacturing into one revolutionary field. For engineers, this pilot line offers the rare opportunity to design processes from the ground up in an international environment, working with cutting-edge equipment that will define the future of photonic chip manufacturing and make higher speed, energy-efficient and cheaper chips reality.’
‘With this pilot line, we are building production capacity that delivers predictable, reliable output at 6-inch wafer scale, something the industry desperately needs before widespread adoption can happen. With construction starting early 2026 and first machines installed by end of 2026, we have a 5-year timeline that allows us to optimise processes without shortcuts or loss of quality.’
‘This is my chance to be part of a super exciting ecosystem, working at unprecedented scale to establish European leadership in photonic chip manufacturing and ultimately contribute to the economic and technological independence of the Netherlands and EU.’
Join the revolution
‘This is my chance to be part of a super exciting ecosystem, working at unprecedented scale to establish European leadership in photonic chip manufacturing and ultimately contribute to the economic and technological independence of the Netherlands and EU.’
‘The applications for photonic chips are already clear: datacenters demand higher speeds and lower energy consumption and are scaling up fast, with automotive and medical sectors following close behind. By building this pilot line – an actual functioning factory at scale - we are not just conducting R&D; we are taking risks to build production capability and capacity for the demand in the near future. If we do not act now, we risk that we are not able to scale up tomorrow and Europe will lose its technological advantage in this critical field.’
Want to drive the future of high-speed chips?
We are looking for talented engineers, operators and support specialists who will help shape the future of integrated photonics. Is that you?