3D Photonic Chip Achieves Record 114 Tbps Optical Bandwidth

Lightmatter has introduced Passage™ M1000, a revolutionary 3D photonic chip specifically designed for next-generation XPUs and switches, boasting an impressive 114 Tbps of total optical bandwidth to meet the demands of AI infrastructure applications. This groundbreaking chip, spanning over 4,000 square millimetres, serves as a multi-reticle active photonic interposer, enabling connectivity to thousands of GPUs within a single domain.

Collaborating closely with industry giants such as GlobalFoundries (GF) and Amkor, Lightmatter has ensured the production readiness of customer designs based on the M1000 reference platform. Leveraging the GF Fotonix™ silicon photonics platform, the Passage M1000 integrates photonic components seamlessly with high-performance CMOS logic into a single die, offering a scalable design that can effectively meet the demands of AI applications.

Unlike traditional chip designs where interconnects are limited by electrical I/O connections confined to the chip edges, the Passage M1000 overcomes this limitation by providing electro-optical I/O virtually anywhere on its surface for the stacked die complex. This is made possible through an extensive and reconfigurable waveguide network that transmits high-bandwidth WDM optical signals throughout the platform.

Featuring fully integrated fibre attachments supporting an unprecedented 256 fibres, the M1000 offers significantly higher bandwidth in a smaller package size compared to conventional Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) solutions. This advancement in interposer connectivity is a game-changer for AI infrastructure, providing enhanced performance and scalability for demanding applications.

According to Nick Harris, founder and CEO of Lightmatter, the Passage M1000 represents a significant milestone in photonics and semiconductor packaging for AI infrastructure. Harris emphasized the importance of collaboration with industry partners in achieving this breakthrough, enabling the delivery of cutting-edge photonics technology years ahead of industry projections.

Dr. Thomas Caulfield, president and CEO of GF, highlighted the strategic partnership with Lightmatter to commercialize the photonics technology for AI data centers. The M1000 photonic interposer architecture, built on the GF Fotonix platform, is set to revolutionize advanced AI chip design, leveraging advanced manufacturing capabilities and a highly flexible silicon photonics solution to bring this technology to market.