Openlight Released New Silicon Photonic Power ICs
The company has begun sampling its 3.2T DR8 photonic integrated circuits featuring high thermal efficiency.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Semiconductors
Openlight has launched its 3.2T DR8 silicon photonic power ICs, which integrate 1310nm distributed feedback lasers. These components offer reduced power dissipation and are designed to improve efficiency in high-capacity optics applications.
Why it matters
By providing a design that limits power dissipation to under 2W at high temperatures, these chips simplify packaging needs for data centers. The development supports the industry's drive toward more energy-efficient and scalable network hardware.
The PICs utilize Tower Semiconductor's PH18DA process to achieve approximately 90% coupling efficiency. Active components meet Telcordia GR 468 qualification, with the 448G EAM technology showing a 3dB bandwidth approaching 100GHz.
The players
Openlight
Openlight is a designer and manufacturer specializing in advanced silicon photonics for high-speed data transmission.
Tower Semiconductor
Tower Semiconductor is a foundry company that provides specialty process technologies for the production of integrated circuits.
The details
The new 3.2T DR8 photonic integrated circuits combine integrated lasers and InP-based modulators to enable 1.6T linear drive pluggable optics. This technical integration allows for a more compact and thermally efficient architecture for modern networking equipment.
Timeline
September 2026: CIOE 2026 was hosted in Shenzhen.
The Tech Race
This development represents a significant step in the transition toward higher-capacity linear drive pluggable optics in data centers. It positions Openlight to compete in the growing market for power-efficient hardware that replaces legacy, high-heat transmission systems.
Users will eventually see the benefits of these chips through more efficient and higher-bandwidth cloud and internet services. The technology helps hardware manufacturers build more scalable infrastructure that requires less energy to maintain.
The takeaway
The move to integrate 1310nm lasers and advanced modulators directly into power ICs marks a shift toward more compact and efficient high-speed data infrastructure. Engineers can implement these components to optimize thermal management without sacrificing overall signal bandwidth.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest innovations in Semiconductors.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Electronics Weekly.
