TSMC’s photonics strategy is centered on integrating optical input-output with advanced logic, rather than selling conventional optical transceivers as standalone products. The company is developing a silicon-photonics foundry platform and a packaging architecture called TSMC-COUPE, or Compact Universal Photonic … Read More
From Photonics Precision to Repeatable Evidence
Why Optical Probing Is Becoming a Manufacturing Boundary for Silicon Photonics
Silicon photonics has already shown that extremely precise optical alignment is possible.
In controlled laboratory environments, engineers can align fibers, waveguides, grating couplers, edge couplers, modulators, detectors, and electrical… Read More
The Modulator Is Not the Product: Why AI Photonics Needs an Electro-Optical Realization Corridor
Co-packaged optics, silicon photonics, optical I/O, and photonic engines are becoming central topics in the future of AI infrastructure.
The common story is simple:
Copper is reaching limits.
Light can move data farther and more efficiently.
Therefore, AI systems will move from electrical interconnects toward optical interconnects.… Read More
CEO Interview with Vivek Raghunathan of Xscape Photonics
Vivek Raghunathan has over 18 years of experience in silicon photonics. He was a Sr. Principal Engineer, Product Architect and Program Leader for Integrated Silicon Photonics at Broadcom driving key core technology development required to co-package optics with switches and demonstrated industry’s first 25.6T Ethernet … Read More
Synopsys and TSMC Deepen AI Design Alliance: What It Means
A recent announcement from Synopsys signals a meaningful escalation in the race to build next-generation AI hardware. The expanded collaboration between Synopsys and TSMC brings together silicon-proven IP, AI-driven design tools, and cutting-edge manufacturing processes in a tightly integrated effort to accelerate high-performance… Read More
Another Quantum Topic: Quantum Communication
In my recent series on quantum computing (QC), I intentionally overlooked a couple of adjacent topics: quantum communication and quantum sensing. These face some of the same challenges as QC, however I noticed a recent report on a test quantum network implemented by Cisco and Qunnect which led me to find more from Cisco on their … Read More
CEO Interview with Aftkhar Aslam of yieldWerx
Aftkhar Aslam is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of yieldWerx and a semiconductor industry veteran with more than 30 years of experience spanning manufacturing, test engineering, yield management, IP strategy, and enterprise digital transformation.
Under his leadership, yieldWerx has become a trusted data and… Read More
CEO Interview with Jutta Meier of IQE
Jutta Meier is an experienced executive who has held senior positions at global semiconductor companies for over 25 years. She joined IQE in January 2024 as CFO, and was announced as IQE’s CEO in May of 2025. She joined IQE after serving at Intel Corporation as a Senior Finance Director at Intel Foundry Services, supporting Intel’s… Read More
Cutting Through the Fog: Hype versus Reality in Emerging Technologies
Silicon Catalyst is an organization that supports early-stage semiconductor startups with an ecosystem that provides tools and resources needed to design, create, and market semiconductor solutions. It is the only incubator + accelerator focused on the Global Semiconductor Industry and operates with the motto “It’s about… Read More
Podcast EP133: OpenLight and Their Revolutionary Approach to Photonics
Dan is joined by Dr. Thomas Mader, Tom is the Chief Operating Officer of OpenLight, a newly formed independent company by investments from Synopsys and Juniper Networks. Dr. Mader’s experience spans 27 years across the photonics and consumer electronics industries. Prior to the formation of OpenLight, he led the same team within… Read More


The $9.5 Billion Design IP Market: Shifting Boundaries, Arm’s Monopoly, and the RISC-V Response