POET Technologies Inc., the designer and developer of the POET Optical Interposer and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) for the data center and tele-communication markets, today reported that it has agreed on the first phase of a supply agreement with a global supplier of lasers and other components used in high-speed optical networking equipment. The companies will collaborate on the design and production of flip-chippable Continuous Wave (CW) high power lasers for use in the Company’s 400G Optical Engines.
In this first phase, POET will work with the Supplier on a customized version of its current flip-chippable production CW laser. The customization to the physical design would enable the existing laser to be compatible with POET’s Optical interposer platform, which enables passive, wafer-scale hybrid integration of lasers to produce high performance Optical Engines. CW lasers combined with a Silicon Photonics-based modulator will be incorporated in transmit Optical Engines operating at 400G speeds and beyond. POET has issued a Purchase Order to the Supplier for the first phase of the project, covering the design requirements and operating specs of the laser. In a subsequent phase, the Supplier will build and supply known good lasers for use by POET in the production of 400G Optical Engines. The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
“The Supplier’s lasers are among the most reliable high-performance lasers on the global market. Our collaboration is another example of POET engaging with well-established, highly-regarded companies in our industry,” said Vivek Rajgarhia, President & GM of POET Technologies. “For most prospective customers, including the Tier 1 network equipment suppliers and the hyperscale datacenter operators, the incorporation of the Supplier’s lasers in our 400G designs will significantly increase their confidence about the operating performance and reliability of our products. The fact that the Supplier is already producing flip-chip lasers provides POET a shorter time-to-market. If this project goes as we anticipate, we expect to have initial production chips available by mid-2022, which aligns with our roadmap for 400G Optical Engine Beta sample availability. This is a key move by POET to secure its laser supply in the face of a continued supply constrained environment.”
The Company reported earlier that it had received critical acclaim during the ICCSZ and CIOE conferences in Shenzhen, China when it demonstrated a 400G Transmit Engine with a silicon photonics-based modulator from Silux Technologies Co. Ltd.