Tower Semiconductor will present its silicon photonics and silicon germanium technologies at ECOC 2026 in Malaga, Spain, September 21-23. The Israeli foundry, a public company listed on Nasdaq as TSEM, is focusing on solutions for rapidly evolving artificial intelligence infrastructure. Tower highlights its high-volume silicon photonics platform, used in data centers and telecom, and its expanding applications in areas like near- and co-packaged optics for AI clusters and FMCW LiDAR for what the company terms “Physical AI”.
SiPho and SiGe Solutions for AI Clusters
Specifically, the foundry is highlighting near- and co-packaged optics (NPO/CPO) as a key technology for building AI cluster architectures, addressing the increasing demand for bandwidth and reduced latency. These optical solutions aim to move data closer to processing units, minimizing bottlenecks in rapidly expanding artificial intelligence systems. Beyond AI, Tower’s silicon photonics are also being adapted for frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LiDAR, a surprising application linking photonics with “Physical AI”.
This suggests a move beyond traditional LiDAR uses, potentially enabling AI systems to better interpret and interact with the physical world through enhanced sensing capabilities. The company’s silicon germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS solutions complement the SiPho platform, targeting the higher bandwidth, lower latency, and lower power requirements of advanced AI infrastructure.
Tower Semiconductor’s platform is already widely used in data centers and telecom optical transceivers, and the company reports it is prepared for high-volume manufacturing. The company will be available at booth #C1014 to discuss its roadmap and future silicon photonics developments.
See today’s quantum computing news on Quantum Zeitgeist for the latest breakthroughs in qubits, hardware, algorithms, and industry deals.
