AMSTERDAM : Smart Photonics, a Dutch company targeting the market for photonic computer chips, said on Wednesday it has received 100 million euros in debt funding.
The money includes 60 million euros from a Dutch government fund and 40 million from industry players including chip equipment giant ASML and chipmaker NXP, both based in the Netherlands. VDL Groep, an ASML supplier, also participated. Photonic chips use particles of light to complete circuits and transmit information, rather than the electrons used in computer chips and electronics.
"With this new round of funding, SMART Photonics will be able to strengthen its role as the leading manufacturer of next generation chips in a growing, resilient European photonic value chain," it said in a statement. Smart Photonics is seeking to become a foundry, or contract manufacturer of photonic chips for companies that design but do not manufacture such chips.