English

Turn to 4-inch wafers! Dutch Photonics Integrated Circuit Enterprise Announces Production Expansion and Price Reduction

140
2024-02-03 10:28:04
See translation

Recently, SMART Photonics, a Dutch photonic integrated circuit manufacturer, announced a major decision to transfer its entire production capacity from 3-inch wafers to 4-inch silicon substrates, thereby expanding the production scale of photonic chips and significantly reducing chip prices.

According to the company, SMART Photonics is one of the first photonic integrated circuit foundries to provide 4-inch indium phosphide wafer production.

The above transformation not only increases production scale, but also brings significant advantages: generally speaking, 4-inch wafers contain almost twice the number of chips as 3-inch wafers, which means that production efficiency can be greatly improved. The company stated that this scale effect will translate into lower chip prices, thereby better meeting market demand.

"This shift is not just about the number of wafers. A larger wafer substrate will enable us to better meet the market demand for optical chips," said Guy Backner, Chief Operating Officer of SMART Photonics
He further added that by reducing costs and improving production efficiency, the company is expected to play a greater leading role in the integrated optoelectronic ecosystem.

This transformation has received support from the industry and financial venture capital institutions. Last July, partners such as PhotonDelta, chip equipment giant ASML, and chip manufacturer NXP Semiconductors provided $111 million in financing. In addition, the EU's InterReg Northwest Europe project OIP4NWE has also provided important support for this change.

SMART Photonics has demonstrated its innovative capabilities and forward-looking layout in the field of photonic integrated circuits by shifting production capacity from 3-inch to 4-inch wafers. This transformation not only enhances the company's competitiveness, but also lays a solid foundation for the development of the entire Dutch optoelectronic ecosystem. In the future, the company will fully utilize its financing to expand its manufacturing capabilities and accelerate the development of its PIC technology platform and process design suite.

Source: OFweek Laser Network

Related Recommendations
  • Scientists have made breakthrough progress in using laser to cool sound waves

    A group of researchers from the Max Planck Institute of Optoelectronics has made a significant breakthrough in using laser cooling to travel sound waves. This development brings us one step closer to the quantum ground state of sound in waveguides, which is of great significance for quantum communication systems and future quantum technology.By using laser cooling, scientists can significantly red...

    2024-01-22
    See translation
  • Alcon acquires ophthalmic laser equipment company for $466 million

    On July 3rd local time, Swiss ophthalmic care giant Alcon announced the acquisition of Israeli medical technology company Belkin Vision and its laser equipment assets for treating glaucoma.The transaction includes a prepayment of $81 million, of which approximately $65 million is in cash. In addition, if Alcon can establish this technology as the preferred first-line treatment option for clinical ...

    2024-07-09
    See translation
  • Focused Energy purchases two world-class high-energy lasers

    Recently, Focused Energy, a well-known foreign fusion energy startup, announced that it has officially signed an agreement to purchase two of the world's top high-energy lasers. These two large lasers will be deployed in the company's upcoming factory in the San Francisco Bay Area in the next two years.Scott Mercer, CEO of Focused Energy, stated, "These lasers are currently the highest average pow...

    2024-12-25
    See translation
  • Amada launches latest precision laser welding workstation wl-300a

    Recently, Amada weld tech Inc., a Japanese supplier of welding and cutting solutions, grandly launched a new wl-300a precision laser welding workstation, which is equipped with advanced continuous wave (CW) or quasi continuous wave (QCW) fiber lasers. It has a wide range of applications, especially for metal welding and processing of selected plastic materials, especially in the aerospace field.Wl...

    2024-05-31
    See translation
  • Unlocking visible femtosecond fiber oscillators: progress in laser science

    The emergence of ultrafast laser pulses marks an important milestone in laser science, triggering astonishing progress in a wide range of disciplines such as industrial applications, energy technology, and life sciences. Among various laser platforms that have been developed, fiber optic femtosecond oscillators are highly praised for their compact design, excellent performance, and cost-effectiven...

    2024-03-28
    See translation