OpenLight offers silicon photonics process design kit

OpenLight, the silicon photonics joint venture between Juniper Networks and Synopsys, says that a process design kit (PDK) is now generally available for those interested in designing photonic integrated circuits (PICs) using OpenLight’s technology. The PDK works with the Synopsys photonic IC design platform and includes indium phosphide active optical elements on-chip that can be used by Synopsys OptoCompiler and simulated with the Synopsys OptSim photonic simulator.

The company launched this past June with a silicon photonics platform that features integrated laser capabilities (see "Synopsys/Juniper Networks silicon photonics venture adopts OpenLight name"). Other elements supported within the PDK include optical amplifiers and high-speed, low-loss electro-absorption (EA) modulators. Tower Semiconductor has successfully run qualification and reliability tests on its PH18DA silicon photonics production flow.

"We strongly believe in the ability of OpenLight's technology implemented in Tower's foundry platform to push the envelope and enable the next generation of photonic IC products," said Dr. Marco Racanelli, senior vice president and general manager of Tower Semiconductor's Analog Business Unit. "With PDKs now available to the world, mutual customers can benefit from access to this advanced technology through an open foundry model. Results of PICs fabricated to date are impressive and the PDK announced here will speed up further PIC innovation from the industry as designers confidently develop and bring to market new products faster with on-chip lasers and optical amplifiers."

Reference PICs

The PICs to which Dr. Racanelli refers include reference examples with eight integrated 100G lasers for 800G DR applications, according to OpenLight COO Tom Mader. A 2xFR4 reference design should be completed soon and 200G lasers are on the roadmap, he added.

Mader says that OpenLight’s technology has attracted interest for a wide range of applications, from datacom and AI/ML to automotive LIDAR and healthcare. He expects datacom network products using the company’s technology to reach the field first, perhaps late next year or early in 2024. The technology also could be implemented for co-packaged optics (CPO) in both designs with external lasers and those that would take advantage of the internal laser capabilities, Mader added.

Mader notes that Intel is the only other company with publicly divulged capabilities to produce silicon photonic devices with integrated lasers; so far Intel has not offered to share that expertise with the market in the form of a PDK. With the integrated light source a calling card, Mader asserts that early reference design partners also have been impressed with the performance of the EA modulators, which exhibit < 1-dB excess loss.

Mader is the highest-ranking executive at the company; he says that the search for a CEO is ongoing. OpenLight also offers design services as a revenue generator.

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