Photon Bridge Achieves Breakthrough in Photonics Architecture

Photon Bridge has successfully validated its innovative photonics architecture by demonstrating a single-channel output power exceeding 30 mW at the edge facets of a silicon chip. This achievement occurred during continuous-wave operation at room temperature and aligns with the power requirements for next-generation 1.6T and 3.2T co-packaged optical engines. The advancement aims to reduce fibre count while enhancing energy efficiency at the rack level.

Traditional non-multiplexed external laser solutions typically transmit one colour per fibre using high-power 250 mW lasers. In contrast, Photon Bridge’s platform achieves a comparable total output per fibre by combining multiple wavelengths into a single fibre. By integrating lasers and multiplexing technology onto a single silicon photonics interposer, the company simplifies assembly and improves thermal efficiency, thereby enabling cost-effective next-generation co-packaged optical (CPO) architectures.

Significant Milestone in Integrated Photonics

The recent milestone confirms the viability of a fully integrated architecture, where lasers and wavelength filters are combined on a single silicon photonic integrated circuit (PIC). This design eliminates the need for discrete micro-optics, streamlining the assembly process. By utilizing established commercial III–V and 200 mm silicon photonics foundries, Photon Bridge’s platform promises scalable and cost-efficient deployment in future AI-driven CPO systems.

Unlike conventional III–V-on-silicon approaches that require precise manufacturing tolerances and intricate testing processes, Photon Bridge’s design is optimized for volume production. The simplified silicon photonics process and OSAT-compatible assembly potentially reduce the integration time for III–V lasers by up to 80 times. Initial wafer-scale testing has shown robust connectivity at the III–V–silicon interface, with over 92% of interconnections meeting performance standards.

Future Prospects and Industrialization Goals

“Delivering more than 30 mW from a single integrated channel at wafer scale validates both the power handling and manufacturability of our platform,” stated Paul Marchal, a representative from Photon Bridge. He added that the architecture is scalable to 8, 16, or 32 wavelengths per fibre. This scalability can extend across multiple fibres to achieve significantly higher aggregate output power without pushing individual lasers to extreme power densities.

With scalability now demonstrated, Photon Bridge is shifting its focus toward industrialization and customer qualification, preparing for high-volume deployment. The platform is also designed to integrate with quantum dot laser technology, which may facilitate isolator-free operation and further streamline the design of high-density optical engines.

This breakthrough positions Photon Bridge as a key player in the photonics landscape, paving the way for enhanced performance and efficiency in next-generation optical systems.