Prinano announced that it has fabricated 8‑inch photonic chip wafers using a nanoimprint technique instead of traditional deep‑ultraviolet (DUV) lithography. The company says the imprint method patterns the wafer in a single step, eliminating the multiple exposure cycles typical of optical lithography. It reports a 90% reduction in production cost compared with standard DUV lines.
If the claim holds, manufacturers could slash capital outlays for photonic foundries and speed up prototype cycles. The process also sidesteps the expensive DUV equipment market, which has been a barrier for new entrants.
The announcement arrives as the photonics sector seeks cheaper ways to scale beyond research labs, but independent verification of the yield and performance figures is still pending.