POET Technologies Inc. announced that Foxconn Interconnect Technology has selected POET?s optical engines, which are silicon photonics integrated circuits (Silicon PIC), for its 800G and 1.6T optical transceiver modules. POET and FIT have entered into a collaboration to develop 800G and 1.6T pluggable optical transceiver modules using POET optical engines with an aim to address the growth in demand from cutting-edge AI applications and high-speed data center networks. As part of the collaboration, POET will develop and supply its silicon photonics integrated circuit optical engines based on the patented POET Optical Interposer technology and FIT, one of the world?s leading manufacturers of interconnect technologies, will design and supply the high-speed pluggable optical transceivers for delivery to some of the largest end customers in the world.

POET?s transmit optical engines integrate externally modulated lasers (EMLs), EML drivers, monitor photodiodes, optical waveguides, thermistors and an optical multiplexer, where applicable, on to an optical interposer-based PIC. The receive optical engines integrate high-speed photodiodes, transimpedance amplifiers, optical waveguides and optical demultiplexers, where applicable. All components are passively assembled on the interposer at wafer scale using standard pick-and-place semiconductor equipment.

Passive alignment of the photonic elements and use of high-speed RF traces between the electronic and photonic components to avoid wire-bonds are two hallmarks of the technology. POET expects to complete the design of the optical engines for FIT by Third Quarter 2024 and start optical engine production at its joint venture, Super Photonics Xiamen, by Fourth Quarter 2024. The global optical transceiver market for 800G and 1.6T speed is projected to grow at a CAGR of 33%, from $2.5 billion in 2024 to $10.5 billion by 2029, according to Lightcounting Market forecast.