STMicroelectronics to allow higher-performance cloud optical interconnect in datacenters and AI clusters

• New silicon photonics and next-gen BiCMOS proprietary applied sciences convey higher efficiency to handle the approaching 800Gb/s and 1.6Tb/s optical interconnects.
• Growing a roadmap with companions throughout the worth chain for increased vitality effectivity pluggable optics and to handle the following era of AI clusters GPU interconnects.

STMicroelectronics, a world semiconductor chief serving clients throughout the spectrum of electronics purposes, is unveiling its subsequent era of proprietary applied sciences for higher-performing optical interconnect in datacenters and AI clusters. With the exponential development of AI computing wants, challenges come up in efficiency and vitality effectivity throughout computing, reminiscence, energy provide, and the interconnections linking them. ST helps hyperscalers, and the main optical module supplier, overcome these challenges with new silicon photonics and next-gen BiCMOS applied sciences, scheduled to ramp up from the second half of 2025 for 800Gb/s and 1.6Tb/s optical modules.

On the coronary heart of interconnections in a datacenter are hundreds, and even a whole bunch of hundreds, of optical transceivers. These units convert optical into electrical alerts and vice versa to permit knowledge circulation between graphics processing unit (GPU) computing sources, switches and storage. Inside these transceivers, ST’s new, proprietary silicon photonics (SiPho) know-how will convey clients the flexibility to combine a number of advanced elements into one single chip, whereas ST’s next-gen, proprietary BiCMOS know-how brings extremely high-speed and low energy optical connectivity, that are key to maintain the AI development.

“AI demand is accelerating the adoption of high-speed communication know-how throughout the datacenter ecosystem. That is the suitable time for ST to introduce new energy environment friendly silicon photonics know-how and complementing it with a brand new era of BiCMOS for our clients to design the following wave of optical interconnect merchandise, which is able to allow 800Gbps/1.6Tbps options for the hyperscalers,” mentioned Remi El-Ouazzane, President, Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF merchandise Group at STMicroelectronics. “Each applied sciences can be manufactured on 300mm processes in Europe, bringing clients an impartial high-volume provide for 2 key elements of their optical module growth technique. Right now’s announcement represents step one for our PIC product-family and, thanks to shut collaboration with key companions throughout your complete worth chain, our ambition is to change into a key provider of silicon photonics and BiCMOS wafers for the datacenter and AI cluster market, be it pluggable optics right this moment or optical I/O tomorrow.”

“AWS is happy to collaborate with STMicroelectronics to develop a brand new silicon photonics know-how (SiPho), PIC100, that can allow interconnection between any workload together with Synthetic Intelligence (AI). AWS is working with STMicroelectronics primarily based on their demonstrated functionality to make PIC100 a number one SiPho know-how for the optical and AI market. We’re enthusiastic concerning the potential improvements this may unlock for SiPho,” mentioned Nafea Bshara, Vice President and Distinguished Engineer at Amazon Net Companies.

“The Pluggable Optics for Information Middle Market is experiencing vital development, valued at $7 billion in 2024,” mentioned Dr. Vladimir Kozlov, CEO and Chief Analyst at LightCounting. “This market is anticipated to develop at a Compound Annual Development Price (CAGR) of 23% throughout 2025—2030 to exceed $24 billion on the finish of this era. Market share of transceivers primarily based on silicon photonics modulators will enhance from 30% in 2024 to 60% by 2030.”

Extra info

ST’s SiPho know-how mixed with the ST BiCMOS know-how are a singular 300mm silicon platform to serve the optical market. Each applied sciences are being industrialized and can be manufactured in ST’s Crolles (France/Europe) 300mm fab.