The silicon photonics joint venture created by Synopsys (Synopsys) and Juniper Networks is named OpenLight. The joint venture will provide the market with a silicon photonics platform with integrated laser capabilities.

OpenLight's open platform can support integrated lasers, optical amplifiers, modulators, photodetectors and other key photonic components, according to OpenLight. In addition, it will provide select PIC design and design services for applications such as datacom, telecom, lidar, healthcare, high performance computing, artificial intelligence and optical computing.

A key advantage, OpenLight believes, is their ability to process indium phosphide (InP) materials directly on silicon photonics wafers using Tower Semiconductor's PH18DA production process. The technology has passed relevant qualification and reliability tests. OpenLight expects to implement the first open multi-project wafer (MPW) shuttle this summer on the PH18DA process and 400G and 800G reference designs with integrated lasers.

Currently, OpenLight's leadership includes Chief Operating Officer Dr. Thomas Mader, Vice President of Business Development and Strategy Dr. Daniel Sparacin and Vice President of Engineering Dr. Volkan Kaman. The company is headquartered in Santa Barbara, California, and has offices in Silicon Valley, with a combined total of approximately 40 employees at both locations.

Dr. Thomas Mader said: "The fast-growing silicon photonics market is driven by the higher bandwidth required to analyze, store and move data. OpenLight's open silicon photonics platform with integrated lasers can convert each PIC's lasers from a single Scale to hundreds or even thousands of lasers, all monolithically integrated at the wafer level. With our platform, companies can enter emerging markets faster, accelerate innovative applications, and completely change the way their teams build future photonic systems Way."

"OpenLight paves the way for a new generation of silicon photonics by enabling scalable integration of lasers in pluggable and co-packaged optics," said Aveek Sarkar, vice president of engineering at Synopsys. Synopsys' unified new electronic and photonics design solution Combined with OpenLight's innovative silicon photonics platform, it will significantly accelerate the development of photonics ICs."