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Tower Semiconductor and Coherent demonstrate 400Gbps per lane transmission on production-ready silicon photonics process
Monday, March 23, 2026 at 09:36 PM
Tower Semiconductor and Coherent have successfully demonstrated 400Gbps per lane data transmission using a silicon modulator. This milestone was achieved using a production-ready Silicon Photonics (SiPh) process, targeting the increasing demand for high-speed AI and data center interconnects.
Context
On March 23, 2026, Tower Semiconductor and Coherent Corp. announced a successful demonstration of 400Gbps per lane data transmission using a silicon modulator. This milestone was achieved on Tower’s production-ready silicon photonics (SiPho) process, utilizing Coherent’s Indium Phosphide (InP) high-power continuous wave laser. The demonstration, which showed a clear open eye at 420 Gb/s PAM4, marks a significant step toward the commercialization of next-generation 3.2T optical transceivers.
This development is critical for the AI and data center supply chain as industry demand shifts from 200Gbps to 400Gbps per lane to resolve networking bottlenecks in massive GPU clusters. By utilizing a silicon Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) without exotic materials on a standard foundry platform, the partners have validated a path for high-volume, cost-effective manufacturing. This follows Tower Semiconductor’s recent record revenue and aggressive capacity expansion in its 300mm silicon photonics facilities to meet the infrastructure needs of 1.6T and 3.2T networking standards.
Sources (10)
Press Releases | Tower SemiconductorGenuine Optics Unveils Full Portfolio of 1.6T ...Silicon Photonics Chips: The Foundry WarTower Semiconductor, Coherent demo 400 Gbps silicon modulator By Investing.comTower Semiconductor And Coherent Announce Dem...Silicon Photonics (SiPho) - Tower Semiconductor
OFC 2026 News Roundup | Business | Mar 2026 | Photonics Spectra
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