Photonics ' the science of guiding and manipulating light ' enables applications ranging from telecommunications, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing to medical imaging, lidar, and augmented reality displays. But despite the importance of this growing field, the nation faces a shortage of photonics and electronics technicians and engineers. The Lab for Education and Application Prototypes (LEAP), located on the fifth floor of MIT.nano, is a research laboratory that also functions as a hands-on classroom for learning how to package electronic and photonic chips. This open-access facility was the first in what is now a network of five labs supporting innovation in advanced manufacturing across Massachusetts. The MIT LEAP is outfitted with tools for electronic-photonic packaging including a die bonder, wire bonders, an X-ray inspection system, a large area microscope, a plasma treatment machine, and a reflow oven for soldering applications ' but it's not just about the...
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