Qualcomm, Lumentum and Corning to demonstrate optical chip‑to‑chip link

Lumentum said on Monday that it will show a board-level optical die-to-die interconnect for AI systems at the ECOC conference in Malaga this week, built with parts from Qualcomm and Corning. The three companies gave no date for a product.

Each company supplies one part. Lumentum's optical engine uses advanced-packaged 1060-nanometre VCSELs with two-dimensional laser and photodetector arrays and backside lens technology. Qualcomm supplies a die-to-die interface IP subsystem. Corning supplies the multimode fibre connectivity that carries the light between the parts.

Lumentum put the engine's capacity at about 10 terabits a second of aggregate transmit and receive, over optical links spanning tens of metres. The figure is the company's own, measured on a configuration it built. Lumentum described the setup as a proof of concept, not a shipping product.

Matt Sysak, Lumentum's chief technology officer, said the demonstration "shows how Lumentum's 1060 nm VCSEL platform can bring high-density optical connectivity closer to AI compute". Tony Chan Carusone, a Qualcomm senior vice-president, said AI scale-up "requires die-to-die connectivity that delivers high bandwidth density while minimizing latency, power, and area".

Qualcomm shares rose more than 8 percent on Monday, according to the market accounts wallstengine and StockSavvyShay, both of which noted the announcement landed before this week's Snapdragon Summit. Lumentum and Corning shares also rose. The companies gave no power figure for the link.