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NTT and Furukawa Electric Develop Optoelectronic Modulators, Pursuing a Different Path from Broadcom
Monday, December 1, 2025 at 08:44 PM
NTT and Furukawa Electric are reportedly in a competition to develop optoelectronic integration modulators, pursuing a technological path distinct from the approach taken by Broadcom.
Context
At InterOpto 2025, a critical technology race for the future of AI hardware has intensified, with NTT and Furukawa Electric showcasing competing optical modulator designs for photoelectric convergence. NTT is developing a "membrane photonics" device that integrates III-V compound semiconductors on silicon, promising a significant reduction in size and power consumption, with pilot production for its optical I/O technology slated for fiscal year 2028. Countering this, Furukawa Electric presented a thin-film lithium niobate (LiNbO₃) modulator that has achieved 140 Gbaud performance, targeting volume production for co-packaged optics by 2027.
This rivalry is crucial for investors as these modulators are key to overcoming the data bottlenecks in AI data centers. The winning technology could secure lucrative design wins in next-generation GPUs and switches from giants like NVIDIA, which is also investing in this space alongside TSMC. While US firms are advancing with silicon-based modulators, the different material approaches from Japanese companies present distinct opportunities and risks. Ancillary players like Fuji Electric, a supplier of related components, could see follow-on business, making the 2027-2028 production milestones a key period for tracking market leadership in the optical interconnect supply chain.
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