STMicroelectronics expands AI infrastructure capabilities with high-volume PIC100 silicon photonics manufacturing and next-generation TSV roadmap

STMicroelectronics expands AI infrastructure capabilities with high-volume PIC100 silicon photonics manufacturing and next-generation TSV roadmap

(IN BRIEF) STMicroelectronics has begun high-volume production of its PIC100 silicon photonics platform, a technology designed to support hyperscalers deploying high-speed optical interconnects in data centers and AI computing clusters. Manufactured using 300 mm semiconductor processes, the platform enables advanced 800G and 1.6T optical transceivers capable of delivering greater bandwidth, lower latency, and improved energy efficiency. The company plans to expand manufacturing capacity significantly, aiming to increase production more than fourfold by 2027, supported by long-term customer commitments. Industry analysts project strong growth in the data-center optics market, which reached $15.5 billion in 2025 and is expected to surpass $34 billion by 2030. Alongside the PIC100 production ramp-up, STMicroelectronics is developing the PIC100 TSV platform, incorporating through-silicon via technology to increase optical connectivity density and system-level integration. The new platform is designed to support emerging architectures such as Near Packaged Optics and co-packaged optics that will underpin the next generation of hyperscale AI infrastructure. The company will showcase its technology roadmap and demonstrations of PIC100-based solutions at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference 2026 in Los Angeles.

(PRESS RELEASE) GENEVA, 9-Mar-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — STMicroelectronics has announced that it has entered high-volume production for its advanced silicon photonics PIC100 platform, a technology designed to support hyperscalers deploying optical interconnect solutions for data centers and large-scale artificial intelligence infrastructure. The platform is manufactured using 300 mm semiconductor fabrication lines and supports next-generation optical transceivers capable of delivering significantly higher bandwidth, lower latency, and improved energy efficiency as demand for AI computing power accelerates.

The company’s PIC100 technology is currently being used in 800G and 1.6T optical transceivers that enable faster and more efficient data transmission between servers and computing clusters. As hyperscale data centers expand to support increasingly complex AI workloads, optical interconnect performance has become a critical component of overall infrastructure efficiency.

Fabio Gualandris, President of Quality, Manufacturing and Technology at STMicroelectronics, said the company’s move into high-volume production marks a major milestone following the introduction of its silicon photonics platform in early 2025. He noted that combining the PIC100 technology with ST’s large-scale 300 mm manufacturing capacity provides the company with a competitive advantage as demand for AI infrastructure continues to accelerate globally.

To support anticipated demand, STMicroelectronics is preparing a major expansion of production capacity. The company plans to increase manufacturing output more than fourfold by 2027, with additional expansion already being considered for 2028. These growth plans are supported by long-term capacity reservation agreements with customers, ensuring sustained demand for the technology as hyperscale computing infrastructure continues to scale.

Market analysts highlight the rapid expansion of optical networking technologies supporting data centers. According to Dr. Vladimir Kozlov, CEO and Chief Analyst at LightCounting, the global market for data-center pluggable optics reached approximately $15.5 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of about 17 percent through 2030, exceeding $34 billion by the end of the decade. During the same period, co-packaged optics is expected to emerge as a significant market segment, generating more than $9 billion in revenue by 2030. The share of optical transceivers incorporating silicon photonics modulators is also forecast to rise substantially, increasing from 43 percent in 2025 to 76 percent by 2030.

STMicroelectronics’ silicon photonics platform is designed to address the increasing performance requirements of cloud and AI infrastructure. The PIC100 technology delivers advanced optical performance with extremely low waveguide losses in both silicon and silicon nitride materials, achieving values as low as 0.4 dB/cm and 0.5 dB/cm respectively. The platform also incorporates advanced modulators, photodiodes, and proprietary edge-coupling technology to improve optical signal efficiency and reliability.

Alongside the ramp-up of PIC100 production, STMicroelectronics is preparing the next stage in its silicon photonics technology roadmap. The upcoming PIC100 TSV platform will incorporate through-silicon via technology, enabling higher optical connectivity density and improved module integration. The approach is designed to increase system-level thermal efficiency while supporting the evolving architecture of next-generation optical systems.

The PIC100 TSV platform is intended to support emerging technologies such as Near Packaged Optics and co-packaged optics, which are expected to play a central role in the long-term evolution of hyperscale computing infrastructure. These developments align with hyperscalers’ strategies to bring optical and electronic components closer together within high-performance computing systems.

STMicroelectronics will present further details about its silicon photonics roadmap and technology developments during the upcoming Optical Fiber Communication Conference taking place in Los Angeles from March 15 to March 19, 2026. The company plans to present research on its 300 mm backside integrated silicon photonics platform designed for 200-gigabit-per-lane applications.

During the event, STMicroelectronics and Sicoya will also demonstrate a PIC100-based 1.6T-DR8 silicon photonics transceiver at the Sicoya booth. In addition, the company will participate in a CEA-Leti event titled Optical Interconnects Driving Innovation in AI Factory and Beyond, where industry experts will discuss the role of optical technologies in supporting the next generation of AI infrastructure.

ST at OFC 2026

ST will discuss business and technology roadmap updates at the upcoming Optical Fiber Communication Conference® (March 15-19th), Los Angeles, USA:

– paper titled “An Innovative 300mm Back Side Integrated Silicon Photonics Platform for 200Gbits/lane Applications”
– First PIC100-based demo of a 1.6T-DR8 silicon photonics transceiver, engine by Sicoya and STMicroelectronics. See it on the Sicoya booth #507
– Participation to the CEA-Leti event: “Optical Interconnects: Driving Innovation in AI Factory and Beyond” (March 18, 6-8pm PT)

About STMicroelectronics
At ST, we are 48,000 creators and makers of semiconductor technologies mastering the semiconductor supply chain with state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities. An integrated device manufacturer, we work with more than 200,000 customers and thousands of partners to design and build products, solutions, and ecosystems that address their challenges and opportunities, and the need to support a more sustainable world. Our technologies enable smarter mobility, more efficient power and energy management, and the wide-scale deployment of cloud-connected autonomous things. We are on track to be carbon neutral in all direct and indirect emissions (scopes 1 and 2), product transportation, business travel, and employee commuting emissions (our scope 3 focus), and to achieve our 100% renewable electricity sourcing goal by the end of 2027.

Further information can be found at www.st.com

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SOURCE: STMicroelectronics