Artificial intelligence (AI) and digitalization are driving rapidly growing demand for ever-faster and more powerful data connections. Researchers at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have developed a 3D printing process that enables tiny optical components used for data transmission to be connected with high precision and efficiency. The process enables the automated mass production of optical transmitters and receivers. For this innovation, the researchers were nominated for the German President’s Zukunftspreis on September 16, 2026.

The teams led by Professor Christian Koos, Dr. Philipp Dietrich and Dr. Matthias Lauermann have been nominated for the Deutscher Zukunftspreis. At KIT’s Institute of Photonics and Quantum Electronics (IPQ) and Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT), they have developed new ways to address the growing demand for fast and efficient data exchange. Through KIT spin-offs Vanguard Automation and Keystone Photonics, the technologies have been transferred to industrial applications.

“Photonics technologies are a key building block for future data networks, data centers, and AI applications. The processes we have developed provide the basis for manufacturing high-performance optical systems economically and at scale,” says Professor Jan S. Hesthaven, President of KIT. “Being nominated for the Deutscher Zukunftspreis is an extraordinary honor. It shows that research at KIT is developing solutions to major societal challenges while strengthening Germany’s technological competitiveness. I congratulate the researchers on this recognition of their work.”

Connecting Microchips with Optical Bridges

“Optical components for transmitting and receiving data are becoming increasingly small while being integrated in ever greater numbers on photonic microchips,” says Christian Koos, head of the IPQ. “The chips themselves can already be manufactured in large quantities. The real challenge is connecting them optically. We use the light from a specialized laser to create tiny connecting structures with high precision, often just a fraction of the diameter of a human hair. Our processes can be used both to create optical connections between chips and to print microlenses with extreme precision onto optical fibers or chip edges.”

Until now, optical connections between chips have been made by positioning the components with extremely high precision. “Even minimal shifts at the micrometer scale, for example caused by the curing of adhesives, can create problems,” says Koos. “We solve this problem by first fixing the chips or optical fibers only roughly in position. We then print the optical connection precisely into the gap between them.” Digital compensation can be used to correct unavoidable inaccuracies. The result is a fully automated manufacturing process that makes it possible to produce large numbers of such connections in a confined space using 3D printing.

Complex photonic systems also present a challenge in terms of reliability: a single defective chip can render an entire system unusable. Until now, suitable methods for efficiently testing optical chips have not been available. The researchers use their printing process to manufacture specialized measurement probes that can test photonic chips at the wafer level during production. Defective components can therefore be identified and discarded at an early stage.

Automating the production of optical connections reduces the need for costly manual assembly steps. At the same time, early testing of individual components makes it economically feasible to manufacture complex photonic systems. The processes developed by the researchers thus provide the basis for high-volume production and strengthen the prospects for manufacturing and value creation in Europe.

(From left) Philipp Dietrich, Christian Koos, and Matthias Lauermann
– nominated for the German Future Prize.
(Photo: Deutscher Zukunftspreis  / Ansgar Pudenz)

Successful Technology Transfer Through Spin-Offs

The industrial implementation of the technologies developed at KIT is being carried out by the two KIT spin-offs Vanguard Automation GmbH and Keystone Photonics GmbH.

At Vanguard Automation, the team led by Matthias Lauermann has developed industrial-grade machinery and process solutions that provide the foundation for novel multi-chip systems for integrated optics. Keystone Photonics uses this technology to develop and manufacture, under the leadership of Philipp Dietrich, the measurement probes used to test the chips. Their application has now become a key step in the manufacturing process for optoelectronic transmitters and receivers worldwide.

The technologies developed by KIT and its spin-offs enable the economical production of optical systems for data networks, data centers, and artificial intelligence, helping to build high-performance digital infrastructure. “What drove us as a team was the desire to bring together scientific innovation, technology transfer, and industrial implementation at the highest international level. We are very pleased that the nomination underscores the significance of our work,” says Koos.

The Deutscher Zukunftspreis, awarded by the Federal President of Germany, honors technological, engineering, and natural-science innovations that lead to market-ready products. A jury nominates the candidates; it is not possible to apply for the prize.

More information (in German)