Silicon Photonics

UMC has achieved mass production of silicon photonics wafers at its Singapore facility, a crucial step for AI and data center growth. This rapid development, supported by SILITH Technology, positions UMC for future customer product development. The company also shows an improving financial outlook, with strong sales growth and recovering margins, despite recent stock fluctuations. UMC’s expansion in Singapore aligns with the city-state’s growing importance as a semiconductor hub.

Nvidia is investing billions in photonics to power AI’s future and overcome energy limitations. By leveraging light for data transmission, photonics offers a more efficient alternative to electricity, crucial for scaling AI infrastructure. Nvidia’s strategic investments in companies like Lumentum, Coherent, and Marvell signal a shift towards optical connectivity to reduce energy costs and enhance performance, addressing a critical bottleneck in AI deployment.

Himax Technologies reaffirms its strong partnership with FOCI on Co-Packaged Optics (CPO). Their joint development leverages Himax’s WLO nano imprinting technology with FOCI’s silicon photonics expertise. The first-generation CPO solution is undergoing customer validation for mass production in 2026. Future efforts focus on next-generation high-speed optical transmission for AI data centers and HPC. This collaboration highlights Himax’s strategic expansion into advanced optical technologies.

GlobalFoundries (GFS) acquired Advanced Micro Foundry (AMF) on Nov 18, 2025, creating the largest pure-play silicon photonics foundry by revenue. The deal expands GF’s 200mm production with plans to scale to 300mm and accelerates silicon photonics capacity in the U.S. and Singapore for AI datacenters and other applications. GF will establish a silicon photonics research center in Singapore with A*STAR, targeting 400Gbps data transfer solutions. This move strengthens GF’s position in the growing silicon photonics market.