European Countries Tackles 300-Millimeter Silicon Photonics Technology

Silicon Photonics Technology

Recently, the STARLight project, led by global semiconductor leader STMicroelectronics, has been officially selected by the European Commission as a key initiative under the “EU Chips Joint Program.” This project brings together 24 leading technology companies and academic institutions from 11 EU countries, aiming to establish large-scale production lines, develop advanced optical modules, and foster a complete industrial chain to position Europe as a technological leader in the field of 300mm silicon photonics. From now until 2028, STARLight will focus on developing application-driven solutions for markets such as data centers, AI clusters, communications, and automotive.

Remi El-Ouazzane, President of the Microcontrollers, Digital ICs, and RF Products Division at STMicroelectronics, stated: “Silicon photonics technology is crucial for Europe to secure a leading position in the future of AI factories. The STARLight project will drive innovation and collaboration across the entire European industrial chain by focusing on application outcomes, delivering cutting-edge solutions for data centers, AI clusters, communications, and the automotive market. With widely recognized pan-European partners, this alliance will spearhead the development of next-generation silicon photonics technologies and applications.”

Silicon photonics has emerged as the preferred solution for optical interconnect expansion in data centers and AI clusters, combining the high-yield manufacturing advantages of CMOS silicon chips with the data transmission benefits of optical communication. It is also suitable for applications such as LiDAR, space applications, and AI photonic processors requiring higher energy efficiency.

Overcoming Core Technical Challenges

The project will focus on addressing four major technical challenges: high-speed modulation technology will prioritize the development of highly efficient modulators with channel rates exceeding 200 Gbps; laser integration technology aims to advance the research of fully integrated on-chip lasers with high efficiency and reliability; new material exploration will collaborate with institutions such as SOITEC, CEA-LETI, and imec to integrate materials on innovative platforms like silicon-on-insulator, lithium niobate, and barium titanate; and packaging integration technology will optimize the integration solutions between photonic chips and electronic circuits to ensure signal integrity and reduce power consumption.

Scenario Innovation Planning

In the field of data centers, the project will develop a 200Gb/s optical communication demonstration system based on PIC100 technology, involving participants such as STMicroelectronics, SICOYA, and THALES. Additionally, a prototype for free-space optical transmission systems designed for both space and terrestrial communication will be developed. Multiple institutions will collaborate to research and develop next-generation solutions featuring plug-in optical components with new materials and channel speeds of 400Gbps.

For AI applications, the project will develop a photonic processor optimized for tensor operations, achieving superior dimensions, data processing speed, and energy efficiency in core algorithms such as matrix-vector multiplication and multiply-add operations compared to existing technologies. Since neural networks heavily rely on tensor operations, this breakthrough will directly enhance AI processing performance.

In the field of telecommunications, Ericsson will focus on two key innovations: developing an integrated optical offloading switch for wireless access networks to enhance data traffic processing efficiency, while exploring fiber-optic radio technology to separate high-power-consuming processing chips from antenna units, achieving capacity improvement and reduced carbon emissions. MBRYONICS will develop a fiber-optic interface reception solution for free-space optical communication.

Focusing on automotive and sensing applications, LiDAR manufacturer STEERLIGHT will drive technological industrialization through close collaboration with leading automakers. THALES, on the other hand, specializes in developing sensors capable of precisely generating, distributing, detecting, and processing complex waveform signals, whose advancements also benefit the ecosystem of autonomous robotics manufacturing both indoors and outdoors.