POET Technologies optical interposer platform for electronic and optical component co-packaging in single MCM unveiled

POET Technologies Inc. (OTCQX:POETF) (TSX-V:PTK) said it has unveiled an optical interposer platform for the co-packaging of electronics and optics in a single multi-chip module (MCM). The optoelectronic device designer, developer, and manufacturer's optical interposer delivers the capability to run electrical and optical interconnections side-by-side on one interposer chip at a micrometer scale.

POET's optical interposer represents a crucial component of its combined integrated optical engines. Based on its previously announced Dielectric Waveguide technology, the optical interposer leverages the Dielectric Waveguides capabilities, as well as the manufacturing processes.

According to POET, optics will continue to move closer to the data source, whether a processor, application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or field programmable gate array (FPGA), as the demand for higher data transfer speeds at greater baud rates and lower power levels grows.

POET's optical interposer platform facilitates an optoelectronic interconnect fabric to directly interface with the data source, supporting high-speed optical data transfer from within the MCM. POET also expects this technology to make component reduction possible, deliver affordable optical interconnects, and minimize test and assembly steps for reduced manufacturing costs.

POET's platform is aimed at 100G transceiver applications, and is scalable to 200G and 400G transceiver products. The company says its optical interposer is applicable in high-performance computing, networking, optical transceivers and transponders, and automotive LIDAR systems, and an array of additional high-growth markets. The platform technology can be applied to both GaAs and InP-based optical components.

POET's optical interposer has high-volume application in optical engines for single-mode transceiver modules. Additionally, the company announced that it has successfully finished development of its low-loss dielectric waveguide stack and is preparing the technology for transfer to manufacturing.

Compared to the performance publicly disclosed at the Photonics Integrated Circuit (PIC) conference in March 2017, POET has demonstrated a 10x advancement in the optical loss of its waveguide stack as part of its technology development. Optical transmission loss within the dielectric stack has now been measured to be under 0.2dB/cm, rendering the stack loss-less for almost all practical applications.

According to POET, the first crucial step to enabling complex functionality of these waveguides in significant applications, including arrayed waveguide gratings (AWGs), echelle gratings, laterally coupled gratings, multi-mode interference (MMI) couplers and splitters, and pass-through waveguides is the ability to deposit low-loss and low-stress dielectric waveguides. Fundamental in enabling the transceiver optical engine performance, these functional features are necessary to the multiplexer/demultiplexer (MUX/DEMUX) component's performance required in WDM systems.

POET says it plans to offer engineering samples of a receive optical engine to customers by the middle of 2018. This device will be developed using POET's optical interposer platform, the company affirms.

Through DenseLight Semiconductors Pte. Ltd. of Singapore, POET will be participating at SPIE Photonics West 2018 in San Francisco, CA from January 27 through February 1, 2018. POET acquired privately held DenseLight Semiconductors, which makes photonic sensing and optical light source products, in 2016 (see "POET Technologies to buy DenseLight Semiconductors").

For related articles, visit the Optical Technologies Topic Center.

For more information on optical components and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer's Guide.