Montana State University’s Montana Microfabrication Facility (MMF) has received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, part of the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program. The funding is aimed at helping current and future MMF users quickly develop, assemble, and test photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
Andrew Lingley, manager of the MMF, explained the significance of PICs: “PICs are similar to computer chips, but they manipulate and make use of light instead of electrons. PICs already enable technologies like video conferencing and AI data centers, and they are increasingly being developed for sensing applications like lidar and precision agriculture.”
In 2023, Montana was named one of 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs by the Economic Development Administration. As a result, Montana State University joined a statewide group including companies, academic institutions, economic development organizations, and government bodies to create the Headwaters Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (HTH). The HTH later received $41 million to boost regional growth by strengthening capacity in critical technologies such as smart photonic sensing systems. Part of this funding went to the Montana Photonics and Quantum Alliance (MPQA), which is building an Integrated Photonics Ecosystem (IPE) in Bozeman to support optics, photonics, and quantum technology development.
The MMF operates as an MSU core facility in Barnard and Cobleigh halls. It provides access to nanofabrication tools, clean room space, and technical expertise for students, faculty researchers, and industry partners. Through its role in the IPE project led by MPQA, MMF will use the new grant over 30 months to enhance local photonics infrastructure by acquiring new equipment for PIC assembly and testing. The funds will also be used to hire a dedicated photonics equipment engineer and support undergraduate employment opportunities.
Lingley highlighted that these upgrades will benefit researchers at MSU’s Optical Technology Center: “We currently have the tools and expertise to prototype specialized PICs using semiconductor manufacturing equipment, but we have no capability in-house to verify that they are producing the desired results,” he said. “Testing PICs and assembling them into packages at MSU will allow our students, researchers and industrial clients to complete the whole prototyping cycle right here with rapid iterations and design improvements. With the MPQA driving the IPE, we expect these new capabilities to grow the local ecosystem in a meaningful way.”
He added: “Bozeman will continue to attract photonics businesses, and MSU will continue to spin out new photonics companies. This is especially true because we produce well-trained students who have extensive hands-on experience.”
Alison Harmon, vice president for research and economic development at MSU, noted: “The MMF is an MSU core facility with very strong industry ties in addition to providing students with valuable learning experiences and training. The IPE exemplifies MSU’s commitment to economic development and will allow us to continue to build testing capabilities that speed up the process of research translation for MSU researchers and Montana businesses.”
