Silicon Photonics: Production & Future of Optical Interconnects
Silicon photonics is already in production and shipping to industry leaders for certain applications. However, optical interconnects between chiplets in system-in-package configurations still need development work and are expected to become commercially viable in 3-5 years.
Summary
The discussion reveals that silicon photonics technology has reached production maturity for specific applications, with companies already shipping production volumes to industry leaders, particularly for onboard or co-package optics. However, the integration of optical interconnects between chiplets in system-in-package (SiP) configurations remains a technical challenge that requires additional development work. The speaker estimates that commercial solutions for chiplet-to-chiplet optical interconnects should begin appearing in approximately 3-5 years. This timeline aligns with broader industry trends, as evidenced by major semiconductor companies investing in acquiring optical interconnect capabilities. The transition toward optical interconnects appears to be an inevitable industry direction, driven by the need for higher bandwidth and more efficient data transfer between components in advanced packaging architectures.
Key Insights
- Silicon photonics is already shipping in production volumes to industry leaders for onboard or co-package optics applications
- Optical interconnects between chiplets in system-in-package configurations still require additional development work to become viable
- Commercial solutions for chiplet optical interconnects are expected to emerge in approximately 3-5 years
- Most semiconductor industry leaders have invested in acquiring optical interconnect capabilities
- The semiconductor industry is moving toward optical interconnects as an inevitable technological direction
Topics
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to Access