POET and Mitsubishi collaborate on 3.2T optical engines
With a focus on AI networking applications, POET plans to integrate Mitsubishi’s electro-absorption modulator integrated lasers with other key components on its optical interposer platform, to produce 1.6T and 3.2T optical engines
POET Technologies has announced it has entered into a collaboration with Mitsubishi Electric Corporation to co-develop integrated optical engine chipsets for 3.2T pluggable transceivers, a highly sought-after product for optical connectivity in the rapidly growing AI networking market. POET and Mitsubishi Electric will jointly support product demonstrations with major customers.
“Mitsubishi Electric is committed to ensuring we give our customers the technological advantage to maintain their positions as industry leaders in their own sectors,” says Yasuhiro Yamauchi, general manager of Optical Device Department at Mitsubishi Electric. “We believe POET’s optical engines will open the possibility of creating new products where electronics photonics convergence is successfully achieved at an advanced level of integration between indium phosphide and silicon-based interposer, which take us and our valued customers into the next generation of data networking for AI and hyperscale datacentres. This promises to be a momentous technological achievement when it is unveiled.”
According to the companies, Mitsubishi Electric will contribute its highly differentiated 400G electro-absorption modulator integrated lasers (EMLs) to the project. Using its optical interposer platform technology, POET intends to integrate the EMLs along with drivers, optical waveguides, and other key functional building blocks to produce 1.6T and 3.2T optical engine chipsets.
“The AI and datacom networks need a pluggable transceiver solution for 3.2T and POET’s optical interposer is one of the few technologies that can achieve that performance,” says Suresh Venkatesan, POET Chairman and CEO. “When our Mitsubishi Electric colleagues understood the full functionality of the optical interposer and its potential to optimise the performance of their leading-edge lasers, they knew that we offered the right solution for their needs. It’s further validation that what we have worked so hard to achieve over these past five years is coming true. POET’s products are steadily being adopted by the industry and we expect demand to accelerate as our customers gain further understanding of the power efficiency and cost savings that we offer to them and their customers.”
POET and Mitsubishi Electric aim to complete the 1.6T and 3.2T optical engine chipsets in early 2025 and to then demonstrate the innovation during the first half of that year.
