StarIC teams up with GlobalFoundries on silicon photonics
The company has announced a library of foundational silicon photonics IPs tailored to the GF Fotonix platform, which they hope will help foster an ecosystem for advanced tech companies
StarIC, a provider of premium analogue/mixed-signal semiconductor IP and custom ASIC solutions, has announced a strategic collaboration with GlobalFoundries (GF) aimed at advancing silicon photonics innovation. The company says this partnership brings forth a breakthrough library of high-speed silicon photonics foundational blocks, specifically tailored for the GF Fotonix 45SPCLO process. The library includes silicon proven micro ring modulator (MRM) drivers, and trans impedance amplifiers (TIAs) targeting NRZ and PAM-4 data rates exceeding 100GS/s. The library adds to the expanding portfolio of IPs that StarIC is actively developing for silicon photonics applications.
According to StarIC, GF Fotonix is the industry’s first monolithic platform to combine its differentiated 300 mm photonics features and 300 GHz-class RF-CMOS on a silicon wafer, delivering best-in-class performance at scale. The company says it has years of experience developing ASICs for the GF Fotonix process, and that its world-class analogue/mixed-signal expertise bridges the gap between electronics and photonics.
Describing Fotonix as a next-generation process and a widely disruptive silicon photonics platform, StarIC adds that the platform has active design wins with major customers and has achieved significant market share today and expects its growth in this segment to outpace the market. The GF Fotonix platform has seen adoption by major players in AI, quantum computing, and optical interconnects for datacentres.
“StarIC is thrilled to be working with GF to bring to market foundational IPs for the Fotonix ecosystem,” said Imran Ahmed, CEO of StarIC. “Our customers are at the forefront of transformative technologies. From cutting-edge computing to lightning-fast optical interconnects, they’re rewriting the rules. Together with GF, we’re fuelling their vision. StarIC’s platform solutions bridge the electronic and photonic realms. This partnership underscores StarIC's commitment to advancing silicon photonics and empowering the next generation of applications. Our investment in the success of the GF Fotonix platform runs deep. It’s not just about IPs; it’s about providing solutions and building an ecosystem for companies who are building revolutionary technology. Together, we’ll illuminate new pathways.”
Ziv Hammer, senior vice president of Design Platforms and Services at GF, said: “StarIC is a strategic partner for GF on our Fotonix platform. The MRM driver and TIA IP blocks will help our customers accelerate their time to market with ultra-fast, ultra-efficient silicon photonics solutions.”
