First single-chip multi-wavelength laser source for DWDM co-packaged optics

Scintil Photonics will demonstrate LEAF Light, the world’s first single-chip, multi-wavelength laser source that produces the speed, reach, power efficiency and lower latency needed for scale-up networks. Its compact DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) remote light source with the world’s most precise wavelength spacing, is a crucial component within the emerging co-packaged DWDM architecture that meets the challenges for scalable AI datacentres.

As copper cables reach their limit in speed and reach for AI interconnects, DWDM co-packaged optics are emerging as the leading optical networking solution for AI data centres. Compared with legacy CWDM (Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing) implementation, DWDM will lower latency, boost power efficiency, increase bandwidth density, and enable up to 2Tbps in a single fibre.

“Scintil Photonics is delighted to showcase LEAF Light for the first time to international attendees at OFC. LEAF Light is the only single-chip solution that can meet all the system requirements at an acceptable size and cost for the emerging co-packaged DWDM architecture that requires the finest, high-precision multi-wavelength light source to efficiently transmit data,” said Matt Crowley, CEO at Scintil Photonics. “Our aim is to closely align volumes of LEAF Light with the growth in the XPU accelerator market, expected to reach $600bn in 2030 with about 35 million AI accelerators. We are sampling a limited number of select customers later this year, with broader availability of our External Laser Small Form-Factor Pluggable (ELSFP) engineering samples in 2026.”

LEAF Light uses Scintil’s proprietary SHIP (Scintil Heterogeneous Integrated Photonics) process technology. This revolutionary silicon photonics process integrates III-V and other materials into the standard silicon photonics process flows now obtainable from commercial foundries. The process compatibility with standard silicon photonics fabs and wafer-scale manufacturing allows LEAF Light to scale to tens of millions of units per year and beyond.

“In close collaboration with customers, we have developed a single chip light source solution, featuring 8 to 16 multiplexed lasers with 200GHz or 100GHz frequency spacing, respectively,” said Sylvie Menezo, founder and CTO of Scintil Photonics. “In addition, we have developed the control electronics and the optical packaging to fit into an ELSFP.”

Scintil Photonics will exhibit LEAF Light at OFC, booth 6357, 1-3 April 2025.