OpenLight and Epiphany partner on PIC ecosystem
The companies aim to expand ecosystem design capabilities by unlocking access to advanced heterogeneously integrated III-V PDK
OpenLight, a company focusing on custom PASIC chip design and manufacturing, has announced a strategic partnership with Epiphany, a fabless photonic design house, aimed at advancing the PIC design ecosystem. According to the companies, Epiphany will gain access to OpenLight’s open heterogeneously integrated III-V-based PDK, providing more options and flexibility for mutual customers. By collaborating with Epiphany, OpenLight seeks to further broaden the scope of design possibilities, paving the way for more innovative and optimised PIC solutions across datacom, LiDAR, AI, healthcare, and quantum computing applications.
According to market research firm IDTechEx, the overall PIC market is set to grow to over $22 billion by 2034, driven by key advancements in technology and applications. The integration of PICs is expected to enhance business processes across multiple sectors by improving energy efficiency, reducing operational costs, and supporting faster and more reliable network connections.
“Unlike typical silicon-based semiconductors, there’s a significant shortage of talent capable of designing advanced PICs,” said Adam Carter, CEO of OpenLight. “Our goal is to make the transformative benefits of heterogeneously integrated silicon photonics PICs accessible to more users. By partnering with Epiphany, we’re bringing on PIC design experts who can immediately support customers to create unique, custom solutions using our technology. We’re not just bridging gaps — we’re paving a superhighway for innovation, accelerating development and lowering cost barriers.”
Jörn Epping, co-founder and CEO of Epiphany, added: “The integrated photonics landscape is evolving at a breakneck pace, yet it remains a fragmented ecosystem with significant barricades. With OpenLight’s technology, we can leverage our expertise in integrated actives and passives to streamline design processes and address the lack of integration and accessibility while speeding up the adoption of integrated photonics technology across industries.”
The market for heterogeneously integrated PICs is still developing, with standardised processes and common optical test approaches yet to be established. OpenLight says its open PDK offers significant advantages with a comprehensive library of design components, supporting multiple platforms and technologies and facilitating collaboration between different players in the photonics ecosystem — from designers and manufacturers to end users.
According to the companies, combining Epiphany’s expertise in integrating active and passive components in photonic designs with OpenLight’s advanced PDK technology, their PIC design services offer enhanced functionalities and customisation to meet customer needs.
