Karlsruhe, Germany / Daejeon, Korea – October 22, 2025
Vanguard Automation (VA) is delighted to announced today that vanguard’s 3D lithography system has been installed at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) in Korea. This milestone marks a significant step in supporting ETRI’s mission to drive economic and societal progress through pioneering research in information, communications, electronics, and convergence technologies.
The vanguard Sonata 1000 is a next generation technology platform, enabling automated photonic integration and packaging. The solution is scalable from low volume R&D and prototyping work, up to volume production applications. The unit is comprised of a 3D lithography-based nano fabrication system and is compatible with industry simulation software. The Sonata 1000 can print virtually any micro-optical element and can fabricate Photonic Wire Bonds (PWB), providing low loss interconnects between photonic components. The solution removes the need for high-precision mechanical alignment and the use of additional micro-optical elements for mode-matching.
ETRI researchers and collaboration partners will benefit from using this system to both advance and accelerate the development and commercialization of photonic integration and packaging. The vanguard Sonata 1000 shall enable reliable and repeatable fabrication of multi-chip photonic subassemblies in the fields of communications, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence.
About ETRI
Founded in 1976, ETRI is Korea’s premier research institute dedicated to advancing core industrial technologies. Its mission is to contribute to national development through innovation in ICT and convergence technologies, with a vision to create a better future through digital transformation.
