What are photonic integrated circuits?

What is the Light Source for Photonic Interconnects?

For a Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) to function, it requires a light source. While some PICs can integrate lasers directly on-chip, the most common and scalable approach for high-bandwidth applications—particularly in AI interconnects—is to use external lasers.

Why Use External Lasers?

Integrating high-power, stable lasers off-chip offers several key advantages:

Thermal Management: Separating the laser from the PIC reduces on-chip heat generation, which is crucial for maintaining the performance and reliability of sensitive photonic components.
Performance Optimization: External lasers can be engineered for specific wavelengths, power levels, and stability characteristics that are difficult to achieve with on-chip integration. This leads to superior signal quality, tighter wavelength control, and higher data rates.
Scalability for AI Interconnects: In large-scale AI systems where enormous volumes of data must move quickly and efficiently, external lasers provide the necessary optical power budget to drive many high-bandwidth channels across complex photonic networks.

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