CEA-Leti, CEA-List and PSMC partner on AI photonics
Collaboration combines RISC-V processing, silicon photonics, and microLED technologies within advanced 3D stacking platforms to enable high-bandwidth, energy-efficient architectures for next-generation AI systems.
CEA-Leti and CEA-List have announced a strategic collaboration with Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation (PSMC) to integrate RISC-V processing, silicon photonics, and microLED technologies into advanced 3D stacking and interposer platforms aimed at next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) systems.
The partnership brings together CEA-List’s expertise in RISC-V processor design and CEA-Leti’s capabilities in silicon photonics to enhance PSMC’s established 3D integration technologies.
The goal is to enable high-bandwidth, energy-efficient data movement alongside flexible, customizable compute architectures tailored for AI workloads.
As demand for AI infrastructure accelerates, traditional copper interconnects are approaching physical and power limitations.
The collaboration addresses these challenges by incorporating short-reach optical links for high-speed communication and leveraging RISC-V’s open architecture to deliver adaptable computing platforms.
“RISC-V is transforming processor design by combining openness, flexibility, and cost efficiency,” said Olivier Thomas, Deputy Head of the Digital IC Design Division at CEA-List. “Our joint effort will provide customers with customizable compute platforms that meet both performance and power requirements.”
MicroLED technology also plays a key role in the initiative. According to Sébastien Dauvé, CEO of CEA-Leti, GaN-based microLEDs will enable higher optical communication throughput while maintaining low power consumption, further supporting energy-efficient system design.
PSMC will integrate these innovations into its 3D stacking and interposer platforms, offering foundry services that combine photonic chiplet communication with advanced packaging. “By leveraging the expertise of CEA-Leti and CEA-List alongside PSMC’s technologies, we aim to deliver next-generation solutions for AI applications,” said Dr. Shou-Zen Chang, CTO of PSMC.
The collaboration reflects a broader industry shift toward heterogeneous integration, where photonics, advanced packaging, and open compute architectures converge to overcome scaling challenges and meet the growing demands of AI systems.
