Ayar Labs Demos Ultra-Dense Optical Interconnect
Collaborative partnership with Global Foundries accelerates commercialisation of in-package optical I/O for applications in AI, cloud architectures, aerospace and 5G
As part of a multi-year technology and manufacturing partnership, Ayar Labs has successfully demonstrated its patented monolithic electronic/photonic solution on Global Foundries (GF) next generation photonics solution based on its 45nm platform. This is an industry first and key milestone in providing chip-to-chip optical connectivity at scale for data-hungry applications such as artificial intelligence, high performance computing, cloud, telecommunications and aerospace.
“As collaborators, we’ve incorporated their requirements for PDK and process optimisations while providing early access to our next generation process. Together, we will unlock a larger market opportunity and realise chip-to-chip optical I/O solutions that will enable higher bandwidth and faster connection for high performance compute applications.”
The two companies began working together in 2015 with a commitment to collaborate and commercialise differentiated silicon photonics solutions for greenfield applications that would require extreme bandwidth density (high data throughput in a small physical package) at low latency and high energy efficiency.
“Ayar Labs has been perfecting our micro-ring based monolithic electronic/photonic solution for nearly a decade. But the true commercial potential is realized when coupled with a 300mm semiconductor fabrication process that delivers the performance, reliability, and cost advantages that we and our customers require,” says Charles Wuischpard, CEO, Ayar Labs. “This is yet another industry-first result that solidifies our leadership for this market opportunity.”
“Ayar Labs is an important partner of Global Foundries,” says Anthony Yu, VP of silicon photonics at GF. “As collaborators, we’ve incorporated their requirements for PDK and process optimizations while providing early access to our next generation process. Together, we will unlock a larger market opportunity and realize chip-to-chip optical I/O solutions that will enable higher bandwidth and faster connection for high performance compute applications.”
Over the last 18 months, Ayar Labs has been working with select semiconductor manufacturers, systems builders, and end users on co-design partnerships. The company is now announcing an expanded sampling program of its next generation chiplet developed on GF’s latest silicon photonics manufacturing process that will be available to a broader group by request at ayarlabs.com/starterkit/
Mark Wade, president and CTO of Ayar Labs, will be sharing details of this industry first demonstration at ECOC 2020 as part of his presentation on ‘Silicon photonic chiplets for chip-to-chip communications’ on Tuesday, December 8, from 16:20 – 16:40 (CET).
