Silicon photonics
Enabling the future of cloud optical interconnects for faster and more efficient data transfers in datacenters and AI clusters
ST is at the forefront of enhancing digital infrastructure, addressing the growing demands of AI and high-speed data communication. Silicon photonics (SiPho) technology leverages silicon-based materials to develop photonic circuits, which use light to transmit data. Silicon photonics is a highly promising technology for faster and more efficient data transfers in optical modules.
Pluggable optical transceivers accelerate data exchanges
Optical transceivers embedded in pluggable optics play a crucial role in converting optical to electrical signals and vice versa. They facilitate data flows between computing resources, switches, and storage devices, as well as transfers between servers, and between data centers.
ST’s proprietary silicon photonics technology, with its first photonic integrated circuit, the PIC100, offers a comprehensive design platform enabling a 200 Gbps per lane capability. This technology is tailored to meet the challenges of data speed, power efficiency, compactness, volume, and cost efficiency for the next generations of pluggable optical solutions delivering 800 Gbps and 1.6 Tbps.
A state-of-the-art design platform for better performance and higher energy efficiency in optical transceivers
High bandwidth
The technology platform supports bandwidth performance for modulators and photodiodes beyond 50 GHz and 80 GHz respectively.
Innovative technology stack for high energy efficiency
The patented technology stack features silicon and silicon nitride wave guides with very low sub-dB loss, as well as a low-loss edge coupling capability.
Future heterogeneous material integration
ST’s silicon photonics technology can combine heterogeneous components for developing even faster modulators. It can also enable semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) and laser integration.
These advancements pave the way for 400 Gbps per lane modules for future 3.2 Tbps pluggable optics.
A new range of compact modulators are under development to address a new class of optical links in AI clusters, which will reduce the congestion caused by the multitude of copper cables present today in AI cluster racks. The compact design of silicon photonics circuits and their integration in co-packaged optics are enabling the miniaturization of electro-optical devices. The transition of scale-up links from copper cable to optics will accelerate the deployment of AI clusters, supporting future growth.
The role of TSV technology in advancing silicon photonics
Through-silicon via (TSV) is a critical enabler for the advancement of silicon photonics and co-packaged optics (CPO). This technology provides direct vertical interconnections in the silicon substrate to integrate photonic and electronic components more efficiently.
The high density in vertical interconnections provided by TSV, combined with the high-speed data transmission capabilities of silicon photonics, opens the door to more efficient and more compact systems.
Advanced in-house
manufacturing process
Silicon photonics and BiCMOS technologies are produced in ST's 300 mm production facility in Crolles, Europe, using advanced lithography to achieve high production yields in the category of digital CMOS. A global integrated device manufacturer (IDM), ST manufactures the entire value proposition in-house to ensure an independent high-volume supply for customers.
