M-Engine

Enabling High-Volume Manufacturing of Microcomb Photonic Modules

M-Engine is an ambitious Horizon Europe-funded project aimed at revolutionizing the scalable fabrication of microcomb photonic modules. By leveraging Micro-Transfer Printing (MTP) technology, the project will enable high-yield and low-cost mass manufacturing of compact microcomb engines, unlocking new possibilities in telecommunications, data centers, optical computing, and sensing applications.

The project is a collaboration between six key partners from academia and industry, bringing together expertise in photonics, laser technology, and scalable manufacturing.

Project Highlights

Project Name

Microcomb Photonic Engine (M-Engine)

Project Number

101137000

Duration

December 1, 2023 – November 30, 2026

Funding Program

Horizon Europe – European Innovation Council (EIC) Transition Challenge

Granting Authority

European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)

Welcome to M-ENGINE: The Future of High-Speed Optical Communication

Revolutionizing Data Center Efficiency with Optical Frequency Combs

As AI, cloud computing, and social media continue to grow, data centers are projected to consume 20% of Europe’s energy by 2030. This increasing demand creates a major challenge for scalability, energy efficiency, and sustainability in optical communications.

M-ENGINE proposes a breakthrough solution—leveraging optical frequency comb technology to replace hundreds of single-channel lasers with a compact, multi-wavelength light source. This enables high-capacity, low-energy data transmission, meeting the rising bandwidth demands while supporting the EU’s climate goals.

Growing data needs

Requires more bandwidth

Traditional solutions

Adding more lasers increases energy use

Need for sustainability

Reduces energy costs and carbon footprint

One compact system replaces 100+ individual lasers

Lower power consumption, higher effiiency

Reliable, high-performance data transmission

Cutting-Edge Technology & Expertise

M-ENGINE combines leading-edge photonic and semiconductor technologies from top European institutions and industry leaders:

Photonic Chip Technology

Developed by Enlightra for scalable, high-performance optical frequency comb generation.

Micro-Transfer Printing (MTP)

X-Celeprint’s innovative process for integrating photonic and electronic components at wafer scale.

High-Power Lasers

Eblana Photonics provides distributed feedback (DFB) lasers optimized for wafer-scale integration.

Chip-Integrated Frequency Combs

Developed by DESY and ICB, improving efficiency, stability, and equalized power across data channels.

Performance Testing & Validation

Dublin City University (DCU) ensures independent telecom testing before deployment in pilot projects.

Market Potential & Future Outlook

Market Size

€14Bn projected by 2030

Primary Market

Data Centers

Future Applications

Photonic Computing, Optical AI, Next-Gen Telecommunications

M-ENGINE delivers a scalable photonic chip engine that not only meets future data demands but does so with reliability, long-term operation, and a strong business case.