The RTX business will design and demonstrate photonic circuits under the Photonic Integrated Circuit Architectures for Scalable System Objectives, or PICASSO, program. Commercial partner Synopsys will provide the tools used to design and simulate the technology.
“This program recognizes a fundamental shift in how processing can be achieved,” said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon. “By moving critical processing entirely into the optical domain, we can enable significantly faster response times for a broad range of applications.”
Current photonic circuits require optical signals to be converted into electrical signals to refine and process data, according to Raytheon. The company said eliminating that step would preserve signal strength and integrity as circuits shrink and become more complex.
Raytheon’s Advanced Technology team will draw on its experience in photonics process development, radio-frequency design and military systems already in service. The contract covers development and demonstration of the technology, which the company says could improve situational awareness as well as response times.
