Xscape Photonics and Tower launch on-chip, multi-wavelength laser platform
Built on Tower’s silicon photonics platform, the companies say the optically pumped laser is an industry first that offers a path toward high-performance, lower-cost optical interconnects for AI datacentres
Tower Semiconductor and Xscape Photonics have announced the successful prototyping and validation kit availability of an on-chip, optically pumped, multi-wavelength laser source. Built on Tower’s PH18 silicon photonics platform, the solution aims to support CWDM and DWDM wavelength grids and is tailored for AI datacentre fabrics, where bandwidth density, power efficiency, and scalability are essential.
With the optical interconnect market for AI datacentres projected to grow significantly in the coming years, Tower and Xscape say this development offers a path toward high performance, high reliability, lower cost and a simplified supply chain, by monolithically embedding programmable multi-colour lasers on-chip, pumped optically by a single CW external laser. It also eliminates the need to source for multiple externally modulated lasers or require hybrid III-V integration, the companies add.
According to Xscape Photonics, the solution simplifies design, reduces latency and component count, and is especially impactful for GPU-to-GPU and GPU-to-HBM optical links in AI clusters. By leveraging Tower’s high-volume, modular PH18 platform, the device aims to offer a seamless upgrade path for existing customers, fully compatible with established photonic components such as modulators and detectors.
“Our close collaboration with Tower has allowed us to bring to market a highly differentiated, manufacturable, and scalable solution,” said Vivek Raghunathan, CEO of Xscape Photonics. “By building on Tower’s proven and qualified high-volume PH18 platform, we’ve eliminated the need for costly hybrid laser integration and delivered the first monolithically integrated, multi-colour laser source directly on-chip. This will transform how AI fabrics are architected going forward.”
Xscape Photonics is developing a multi-colour laser platform, ChromX, based on its proprietary CombX technology, a programmable laser source device designed to allow end users – especially those already designing with Tower’s PH18 platform – to integrate high-performance laser sources, significantly reducing packaging complexity and component count. The laser source is compatible with existing silicon photonic modulators and detectors, Xscape says, opening a seamless path toward fully integrated optical interconnects for AI datacentre fabrics.
“We are excited to partner with Xscape Photonics in bringing this first-of-its-kind innovation to life,” said Ed Preisler, vice president and GM of Tower Semiconductor’s RF Business Unit. “Tower’s multi-sourced and high-volume silicon photonics platform has once again demonstrated its ability to support advanced custom solutions for AI and datacentre customers at scale. This new solution exemplifies how our flexible, modular technology ecosystem enables rapid prototyping and high-volume production adoption for emerging AI and data-driven markets.”
