In order to lay out the key technology of silicon photonics, the Ministry of Economic Affairs has invested NT$1 billion in four years. In addition to strengthening the optical chip design, it has cooperated with the world to develop silicon photonic processing component databases, and also provides a return mechanism through the optical power testing laboratory to accelerate the development of business products. In the future, it will plan to open a test line and provide a small number of trial services from high-level module manufacturers.
The government has created the top ten new artificial intelligence (AI) construction, including the development of technologies such as silicon photons, quantum and smart robots. Among them, silicon photonic technology uses mature silicon wafers and semiconductor processes to integrate electronic components with optical components, which can effectively expand the transmission speed of chip computing. With the increase in high AI computing demand, it has become a key technology for manufacturers to actively layout.
The Economic Department has invested in advance research on silicon photonics since 2017, and started the project of Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) last year. It will invest 1 billion yuan in four years to layout optical chip design, high-speed packaging substrates and optical packaging tests. In addition, it is also equipped with A+ planning to provide industry prospective technical research and development assistance.
Relevant officials said that due to the different physical characteristics of light and electricity, the chip design architecture and process will be different. In terms of optical chip design, it provides Maud Optical chip design patents and cooperates with the world to develop silicon photon processing component databases. At the same time, it cooperated with Mitsubishi Chemical in Japan to develop the next-generation silicon photonic high-speed material modification technology, and cooperated with IME in Singapore to accelerate the chip downline speed to win back the local chip factory.
In order to reduce the verification door for small and medium-sized enterprises, the Industrial Research Institute has established an optical power measurement laboratory to allow Taiwanese businessmen to conduct verification services for silicon optical products in China, covering upstream and downstream manufacturers such as wafers and modules, reducing verification time and cost, and increasing R&D speed at the same time.
Officials said that the Silicon Photonic CPO project covers the development of equipment and assists in the domesticization of equipment. Since manufacturers need to test marks when developing equipment, they can output data of silicon optical wafers or modules through the test chamber, which is conducive to the continuous development of equipment.
Informed people pointed out that in the future, in addition to continuously promoting the silicon photonic CPO planning, the optical power testing laboratory will also be upgraded to help Taiwanese manufacturers verify higher-level products, covering the scope of the company, not limited to wafer and module operators, but will also be expanded to the system end, and even serve final operators; AI server manufacturers such as Xincai and UDa will gradually apply silicon photonic CPO technology, and can also come to the Industrial Research Institute for testing.
People familiar with the matter said that the guard range of the optical power testing laboratory is widened. In addition to providing testing equipment, the Institute of Technology has also a reward mechanism. Through design, packaging and testing teams, it comprehensively rewards employees and provides overall solutions to accelerate the development of products.
In addition, people familiar with the matter revealed that the Institute of Technology will plan to open a test-based production line in the future, because the end module manufacturer needs to integrate optical chips, wafers, loaders and optical packaging, etc., and the operators can first try the structure or model at the Institute of Technology to conduct a small number of various trials, make sure that the mode is correct, and then continue to move down.
The industry is actively deploying silicon photonic key technology. Officials said that the SEMI Silicon Photonics Industry Alliance was established by Taiwan Electric and Sun and Moonlight to promote the design, testing and equipment of silicon photonic components, etc., through the platform, operators have reached a common understanding of the development of common technologies through the platform, and have formed a Taiwan supply chain to "group fight" together, allowing Taiwan's factory technology to continue to lead the world.