Are Silicon Photonics the Only Way Forward in Semiconductors?

Advantest Talks Semi

Silicon photonics is not just a buzzword—it's the future of the semiconductor industry, and we're here to uncover its secrets with Dr. Lee Chee Wai.
Dr. Lee Chee Wei is a distinguished expert in silicon photonics integration, boasting an extensive career spanning over 18 years. Holding a PhD in Photonics Integration from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore and a postdoctoral fellowship from the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, Dr. Lee has honed his skills both in academia and the industry. His academic journey was supported by prestigious awards, including the ASEAN Scholarship, ASTAR Graduate Scholarship, and ASTAR Overseas Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Currently, Dr. Lee is pivotal in advancing the commercialization of data center silicon photonics. His technical acumen extends to the design of photonic integrating circuits, and the development and design of advanced fabrication and packaging technologies. Dr. Lee's contributions to the field are highlighted by his extensive portfolio of more than 30 internationally filed patents and over 50 peer-reviewed journal publications. His work bridges the gap between east and west, showcasing a global impact in Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) Technology.

Discover how the convergence of light and silicon is about to shatter the limitations of traditional CMOS technology, unlocking unparalleled data speeds and efficiency, crucial for the demands of Gen AI and modern data centers. Dr. Lee guides us through the transformative potential of merging photonic and electronic components on a single chip with EPIC Electronics.
Our conversation takes a serious look at the nuts and bolts of integrating silicon photonics with CMOS. We confront the challenges head-on—material incompatibilities, efficient signal conversion, and heat dissipation—and discuss cutting-edge solutions like co-packaged optics and heterogeneous integration that are setting the stage for future advancements. With a focus on scaling these innovations for commercial viability since 2017, we discuss how these developments could redefine the semiconductor landscape. Tune in to grasp how silicon photonics stands as a beacon of promise, ready to reshape data centers and elevate the semiconductor industry with unprecedented speed and efficiency.

Thanks for tuning in to "Advantest Talks Semi"!
If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love to hear from you! Please take a moment to leave a rating on Apple Podcast. Your feedback helps us improve and reach new listeners.
Don't forget to subscribe and share with your friends. We appreciate your support!

Chapters

1. Are Silicon Photonics the Only Way Forward in Semiconductors? (00:00:00)

2. What is Silicon Photonics? (00:01:55)

3. What is EPIC? (00:02:54)

4. Why Silicon Photonics is Crucial (00:03:51)

5. Breaking Bandwidth Bottlenecks (00:04:55)

6. Future Data Speeds: 800G and Beyond (00:05:59)

7. Integrating Silicon Photonics with CMOS (00:07:28)

8. Advanced Packaging Techniques (00:09:00)

9. Reducing Power Consumption with Photonics (00:12:23)

10. Silicon Photonics vs. Electronics: Power and Latency (00:16:27)

11. Co-Packaged Optics and Die Stacking (00:25:43)

12. Innovations in Modulators and Demodulators (00:26:16)

13. Applications Beyond Data Centers (00:30:00)

14. Conclusion: The Future of Silicon Photonics & EPIC (00:31:46)