Using OpenLight’s revolutionary, heterogenous integration, the Indium Phosphide (inP) based lasers, EAM and all other active components, are bonded onto the silicon as part of the integrated photonics chip. This breakthrough technology brings highly scalable benefits to the data center, CPO and NPO supply chains. This includes production efficiency, cost, reliability and capital equipment benefits to meet the ever-accelerating demand for bandwidth.
OpenLight’s 3.2T and 1.6T platform also brings revolutionary advantages to AI, High Power Computing (HPC) and machine learning (ML) applications.
# OpenLight 3.2T and 1.6T PASIC technology platforms
The DR8 platform achieves 1.6T using 8x channels at 200G per channel.
The FR4 platform achieves 1.6T using 2x multiplexed fibers, each with CWDM channels at 200G per channel.
OpenLight’s 448G EAM technology delivers a differential 3 dB bandwidth, approaching 100GHz with an extinction ratio (ER) greater than 3.5 dB at 2.0 volts. These results demonstrate robust performance at terabit data rates. This highly integrated PIC solution suits data center module and transceiver applications, as well as emerging co packaged optics (CPO) and near packaged optics, where power efficiency, thermal performance, packaging simplicity and manufacturability are critical.
OpenLight’s 3.2T DR8 PIC’s high-bandwidth and low-drive performance, 448G EAM technology, eliminates the need for externally coupled continuous wave (CW) laser sources, significantly simplifying packaging requirements. OpenLight achieves 90% coupling efficiency between the active elements and the silicon waveguide, along with a low-drive swing of 2V in the InP EAM. The 3.2T PIC has extremely low power operation, with power dissipation below 2 W at 80 °C, giving market leading 0.63 pJ/bit - a substantial increase in thermal efficiency over previous architecture generations.
# Design 3.2T and 1.6T PASIC chips with OpenLight’s open platform PDK:
OpenLight’s open platform PDK (Process Design Kit) allows customers to design 3.2T and 1.6T PASICs for their own, unique applications, or tap into OpenLight’s inhouse, design services. OpenLight’s PDK has a comprehensive library of standard photonic components for adding to the PASIC, including the following:
- InP DFB lasers
- InP Electro-Absorption Modulators (EAM)
- InP Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOA)
- Spot Size converters for efficient, low loss, edge coupling
- InP Photo Detectors
- Silicon/Silicon Nitride Waveguides and passives components
- Built-in monitors and temperature sensors
OpenLight provides individual components die, Starter kits and Evaluation kits to support customers with their own 3.2T and 1.6T PASIC design, development and testing.
# The OpenLight 3.2T and 1.6T value proposition
OpenLight’s heterogenous integration allows multiple active components to be integrated on the same PASIC, silicon photonics chip. This removes the need to source, package and assemble separate, discrete components, and brings the following supply chain benefits:
OpenLight’s 3.2T and 1.6T PASIC chips deliver low optical loss with up to 90% coupling efficiency between lasers and waveguides. This efficiency significantly reduces power consumption and heat.
Although OpenLight’s 3.2T and 1.6T PASIC’s are produced using InP (Indium Phosphide), its higher cost when compared to silicon is counteracted by reduced power consumption; wafer channel density; the ability to scale; and the reduced demand for system cooling by air conditioning, heat sinks or fans.
OpenLight’s 3.2T and 1.6T PASIC chips include active components. Reliability and chip yield are increased as a result of less assembly steps, with less discrete parts to fit and align correctly. The chips are also hermetically sealed, reducing the failure risk from moisture in the field, which increases product life.
The production and assembly process time, or ‘touch time’, of OpenLight’s 3.2T and 1.6T PASIC chips is reduced, bringing efficiency and increased machine capacity to manufacturers. Initial figures show that semiconductor foundries using OpenLights 3.2T and 1.6T PASICs, with heterogenous integration, can expect a staggering 5x increase in capacity from the same machines. This allows manufacturers to scale easily and meet the ever-increasing demand for 3.2T and 1.6T, optical solutions.