LIPAC demonstrates FOWLP optical engine at OFC 2021
South Korean startup LIPAC Co., Ltd. conducted a demonstration of its Fan-Out Wafer Level Packaging (FOWLP) technology at OFC 2021’s Demo Zone. The company showed an optical subassembly based on FOWLP that supported 4x25G VCSEL and photodiode capabilities for an IEEE 100GBASE-SR4 optical transceiver. The company envisions using its FOWLP technology to create what it calls “SOSAs” (System-in-package-based Optical Sub-Assemblies) for a variety of applications, including optical transceivers and co-packaged optics. First products could be available in 2022, the company indicates.
FOLWP enables optical and electrical functional integration with reduced module size and thickness (270 µm), performance benefits (due, for example, to the reduction of parasitic components in the electrical interconnection), and the ability to scale to mass production. The FOWLP process removes the need for a substrate and wire-bonding for opto-electronic integration, LIPAC says. The approach offers the ability to integrate lenses and optics on the FOWLP surface, which reduces optical alignment costs, the company adds. LIPAC plans SOSAs with integrated lasers, photodiodes, waveguides and drivers.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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