NTT is establishing a domestic mass-production system for photonic-electronic fusion devices called “photonic chiplets,” which enable optical interconnects close to GPUs. The 4 companies NTT Innovative Devices, Furukawa Electric, Japan Semiconductor, a Toshiba subsidiary, and Shinko Electric Industries will establish a mass-production system by 2031.
NTT has announced plans to mass-produce in Japan technology that brings optical interconnects close to GPUs using photonic-electronic fusion devices called “photonic chiplets.” The article reports on the establishment of a domestic framework for commercialising advanced technology.
The participating companies are NTT Innovative Devices, Furukawa Electric, Japan Semiconductor, a Toshiba subsidiary, located in Kitakami, Iwate Prefecture, and Shinko Electric Industries. The 4 companies are jointly developing a mass-production system, with the stated aim of securing a domestic manufacturing base.
Photonic chiplets are a technology with limited examples of mass production worldwide, and are described as contributing to lower power consumption at data centres. Against a backdrop of rising demand for AI data centres, the companies’ intention to promote adoption of the technology can be discerned.
A plan has been presented to establish a mass-production system by 2031, with the establishment of a long-term supply chain cited as the goal. As developments unfold, attention will focus on the specific scale of investment and the details of the production sites.