Three-year collaboration aims to address critical need for tuneable lasers with compact footprint, scalability, high yield and enable low-cost manufacturing

Singapore, 2 Sept 2020 – CompoundTek Pte Ltd, a global foundry services provider in emerging Silicon Photonics (SiPh) solutions, is working with Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) on a three-year joint advanced research and development (R&D) collaboration for “O, C, L-band Silicon Photonics tuneable Lasers for Communications and Other Emerging Applications”.

One of the primary objectives of this game-changing collaboration is to develop a high- performance tuneable laser that has a compact footprint and is scalable, high-yield and suited for low-cost manufacturing. By replacing the commonly used array of single wavelength lasers with a single wavelength tuneable laser, this much-simplified design architecture reduces existing complexities of Optical Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) systems, and will additionally lower wavelength contention and inventory costs for commercial products.

The SiPh platform today offers scalability, cost-effectiveness and manufacturability of the matured Si CMOS process. However, one of the key disadvantages of SiPh is the non- availability of highly-efficient silicon laser integrated with SiPh circuits. Hybrid SiPh, integrating SiPh devices with III-V compound semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), offers the best of both worlds – enabling low propagation loss and high integration densities while providing efficient optical gain and flexibility for spectral engineering. This integration is one of the key research areas at NTU’s The Photonics Institute.

This collaboration reinforces CompoundTek’s ambitions in advancing R&D to enhance SiPh technology offerings and deliver on the company’s commitment to its technology roadmap. Since its launch in 2017, CompoundTek has more than 20 global commercial customers in over nine countries and over 20 leading Research Institutes and Universities in various applications such as telecommunications, automotive LiDAR, data communications, bio- sensing/bio-medical, artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and smart sensors.

KS. Ang (left), COO of CompoundTek and Professor Wang (right), NTU pictured together with a prototype of the packaged tuneable laser

For more information, please contact enquiries@compoundtek.com

News is also featured in:

•     LUX Photonics Newsletter (Pg 2 & 3)

•     CompoundSemiconductor China (Mandarin)

•     LaserFocusWorld Japan (Japanese)

Partnership aims to spearhead innovations and development of standard processes from design through to test and inspection 

Singapore, 18 August 2020 – CompoundTek Pte Ltd (CompoundTek), a global foundry services provider in emerging silicon photonics (SiPh) solutions, and STAr Technologies Inc (STAr), architects with leading technologies for semiconductor test solutions – have formed a strategic collaboration to develop standards and solutions for cost-effective high-volume SiPh Wafer Test. Addressing the growing need for consistency and reliability across all applications of SiPh technology, the SiPh Wafer Test aims to spearhead the development of more standard processes and facilitate wider industry adoption and innovations from design through to test and inspection.

Today, the integration of optical components on a chip creates a host of new challenges in wafer-level probing of SiPh devices as large volumes of device-performance data are required to carry a design from concept to qualification and subsequently into production.

“To accelerate the market wider adoption of wafer-level Silicon Photonics tests – cost and efficiencies must be improved. To do so, we believe it is necessary to take a holistic approach by establishing partnerships that leverage expertise within the test technology value chain and that of the fabrication process. It is this synergy of measurement instrumentation, positioning and commercialisation technologies that will further standardise the way testing is done, the way the chip is laid out for ease of tests – that both CompoundTek and STAr effectively brings to the marketplace,” explained Raj Kumar, CompoundTek’s chief executive officer, on the collaboration.

Currently, SiPh testing is fragmented with no recognised standards. Most of the companies have homegrown SiPh bench solution which is good for small scale engineering characterisation during the design verification phase, but inefficient for the high-throughput and low-cost test required for testing during the mass production phase. There is no independent SiPh wafer test service provider with a cost-efficient solution to address this market gap. Availing these capabilities helps the industry to drive down associated product costs from prototyping to mass manufacturing, and accelerate their time to market.

Dr Jeffrey Lam, general manager and vice president of engineering of STAr Technologies adds,” When you think of working in a lab on an initial prototype, and spending a few hours to set up and align a single device for measurements, it seems feasible. It is not the case however, in high-volume SiPh manufacturing where time- and effort-intensive methods are not practical, and time-to-market is a critical factor. This has inhabited the rapid adoption of SiPh, a challenge we aim to effectively address with methods and strategies that have a unique relative emphasis on accuracy, throughput, and test flexibility, through our combined SiPh Wafer Test approach.”

The technology shift in the form of SiPh demonstrates the potential for measurable gains in speed, power efficiency and density. The first wave of the SiPh revolution is poised to roll over to data centres around the world with optical interconnects that break the barriers set by copper wire.

Read full press release here:

Press Releases

English Version: PR_CompoundTek & STAr Technologies collaborate to establish strategies for high-volume SiPh Wafer Test_Aug 2020
Simplified Chinese Version: PR_CompoundTek & STAr Technologies collaborate to establish strategies for high-volume SiPh Wafer Test_Simplified Chinese

Proprietary Test Executive System capitalises on artificial intelligence, machine learning and big-data analytics

Singapore, 27 July 2020 – CompoundTek Pte Ltd. (CompoundTek), a global foundry services provider in emerging silicon photonics (SiPh) solutions, have announced a breakthrough in Silicon Photonics Wafer Test with its proprietary Test Executive Software (TES). Incorporating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, the TES demonstrates an improved throughput of the system and the subsequent data analysis by up to 40 per cent. This pioneering solution allows the user to achieve a fully-automated wafer test with minimum human intervention, effectively identifying and optimising key test parameters to subsequently reduce test and engineering analysis times needed.

TES marks a major milestone for the company’s dedicated SiPh Testing Centre of Excellence. Launched early this year, the open-source SiPh test hub is Southeast Asia’s first-of-its-kind facility focused on production and engineering test services accessible to commercial industry players. Poised to advance CompoundTek’s goals of accelerating marketplace adoption of SiPh, TES reinforces the increasing popularity of this niche semiconductor technology as an alternative to displace traditional electrical interconnects. SiPh is also sought for in a broad range of rapidly evolving applications including lidar, quantum computing, and bio-sensing. Today, however, the integration of optical components on a chip creates a host of new challenges in wafer-level probing of SiPh devices.

High cost and efficiencies represent the foremost challenges to mass-market adaptation, with large volumes of device-performance data required to carry a design from concept to qualification and subsequently into production.   

Recognising this and the need for a performing test executive, the company’s TES, benchmarked with a 40 per cent improvement in test throughput and result-analysis time, surpass commercially available software. It additionally validates the powerful use of Big Data analytics to streamline test items in furthering improvements in test throughput, and paves the way in strengthening CompoundTek’s technology roadmap and customer offerings.

Launched in 2017, Singapore-based CompoundTek has more than 20 global commercial customers, and over 20 research institutes and universities in various applications such as telecommunications, automotive radar, data communications, bio-sensing, artificial intelligence, quantum computing and smart sensors.

For more information, please contact enquiries@compoundtek.com  or visit www.compoundtek.com . Media enquiries can be made to : suji@igssventures.com

Behind-the-scenes look at SEA’s first open-source, independent SiPh test hub designed to connect system companies and OSAT players for a more effective industry value chain

Singapore, 23 July 2020 –24-hours non-stop. 72 speakers. 40 global countries. Starting in New Zealand, followed by speakers from Asia, Middle-East, Europe, and finishing on the US west coast of California. In many ways, this was indeed an epic session for any technical webinar, by any standard.

CompoundTek, represented by S.L Tan (Dr), Director of Silicon Photonics Test took fellow web speakers and virtual attendees of the EPIC 24 Hours World Photonics Tour, on a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and opportunities in Silicon Photonics (SiPh) Wafer Testing.

Taking the audience through a comprehensive presentation that discussed the capabilities and ambitions of the company’s landmark open-source, independent SiPh test hub – a first-of-its-kind facility in Southeast Asia. Launched early this year, the latest development since its operationalisation and key learnings particularly around common roadblocks that potentially inhibits full automation of the wafer test were also discussed in his presentation.   

With the test hub, CompoundTek can connect system companies and OSAT players to effectively achieve the unique requirements across the industry value chain. Articulating this unique value proposition, Dr. Tan said, “The EPIC Photonics World 2020 is a good platform for CompoundTek to go beyond showcasing our latest accomplishments. More importantly, the peer outreach and exchange of ideas, broad discussions of industry growth and trends, sharing of learning from members, paves the way for innovative partnerships with like-minded industry partners and collaborators. Although SiPh wafer testing is still at its infancy stage, CompoundTek strongly believes that this is a critical block in the rapidly growing SiPh supply chain. Implementing differentiated thinking and a dedicated infrastructure to enable developments with partners in this space means we can together, create test standards and drive down the cost of test, which subsequently accelerates market adaption of SiPh wafer test.”  

This positively-received session saw questions largely around CompoundTek’s view of SiPh application in data centres moving forward, and also CompoundTek’s upcoming plans for its test centre. Dr.Tan offers his perspective that with the demonstrated advantages SiPh has over the present solution, the data centre industry is very likely to adopt this technology as the go-to alternative, in the next two years. CompoundTek’s test team is actively working on several initiatives for costs and test cycle-time improvements.

His presentation closed on a high-note with companies expressing interest to collaborate with CompoundTek on the testing capabilities.  

Tune in from the 2:59:54 – 3:18:21 mark of the EPIC – European Photonics Industry Consortium’s  24Hours World Tour video

Designed for 400G/600G/800G applications, special IP block shrinks design cycle and reduces the need for costly prototype iterations

Singapore, 13 July 2020 – Strengthening its position as a leading global foundry services provider in emerging silicon photonics (SiPh) solutions, CompoundTek’s 106Gbps PAM4 MZI Si modulator enhanced PDK in its intellectual property (IP) design offers customers capabilities in 400G/600G/800G applications for an industry where more than two iterations to meet specifications are a norm. The newly introduced modulator enables extraordinary levels of productivity, further minimising manufacturing risk with fewer respins so customers can expect improved yield results in a better return on investment and accelerated time-to-market.

“This innovation is line with CompoundTek’s services expansion goals, ensuring we bring to customers, solutions that save both time and significant investment dollars while meeting performance metrics throughout their prototype-to-market journey. With this transceiver-focused IP design, customers looking to strengthen their 400G to 800G capabilities and reduce the number of iterations can be assured that critical pain points are addressed,” explains K.S.Ang, chief operating officer of CompoundTek.

Design flows continue to mature to meet the cost and scalability demands of manufacturing necessary for broad commercial markets. Today, SiPh integrated circuits are more widespread particularly in applications related to datacom, radio frequency (RF), and sensing. In 2019, shipments of SiPh transceivers for datacenters reached almost 3.5 million units with revenues approximately US$364 million attributed largely to the development of silicon photonics transceivers for telecom/datacom applications (Yole’s Silicon Photonics Market and Technology 2020).

The modulator is a critical integral component in the transceiver design and the availability of the leading edge 106Gbps PAM4 MZI Si modulator will accelerate the development of CompoundTek customers’ next-generation SiPh products, specifically in the transceiver market.

The performance specification for the leading-edge high-speed MZI Si modulator has been verified both on simulation and on-chip fabricated through CompoundTek’s proprietary process flow, with measurements undertaken by a third-party independent company. Showing above typical industry standards test results, the 2.5mm length modulator’s typical reach is 3dB OE bandwidth of 40GHz @ 4V, 3.25 dB loss, 4dB Extinction Ratio (ER) with modulator efficiency of 17 V.mm. Recognising its potential, a leading commercial customer has recently licenced this special IP block, leveraging CompoundTek’s post-fab Cu pillars/bump integration with suspended edge coupler, and Si deep trench for electronics circuits integration.

Read the full press release below:

Headquartered out of Singapore, CompoundTek, a global foundry services provider in emerging silicon photonics (SiPh) solutions, confirms its participation at the European Photonics Industry Consortium (EPIC) first virtual event of its kind – the 24 Hours Photonics Tour.

Kicking off on the 24^th June, CompoundTek will be represented by Tan Soon Leng (Dr), the company’s Director, Silicon Photonics and Semiconductor Testing.

As one of the few companies in the world with capabilities in converting customer design into end products through proprietary SiPh manufacturing processes in a commercial 8” CMOS foundry Partner (<90nm-180nm), Soon Leng will bring to the session valuable insights around addressing commercialisation challenges particularly in designing and testing. 

This “night of photonics” will see a 24 hours non-stop online conference consisting of 72 speakers from 40 global countries. Starting in New Zealand, followed by speakers from Asia, Middle-East, Europe, and finishing on the US west coast of California, each 15-minute presentation is followed by a 5-minute discussion.

Event moderation will be led by Jose Pozo (Dr), Chief Technology Officer at EPIC.

Register for the EPIC 24 Hours World Photonics Tour here: https://www.epic-assoc.com/24hours/

or contact CompoundTek at enquiries@compoundtek.com for more details on our services and solutions.

Enabling a focus in simulation and time and cost efficiencies in actual design to accelerate time-to-market

Singapore, 15 June 2020 – CompoundTek, a global foundry services leader in emerging silicon photonics (SiPh) solutions announces the company’s collaboration with Ansys to expand CompoundTek’s Photonic/electronic process design kit (PDK) to include a process file for custom design in Ansys Lumerical DEVICE Suite. Designers are now empowered to quickly augment existing CompoundTek PDKs with custom components that adhere to foundry specifications. The more efficient and reliable simulation flow based on the new process file will help CompoundTek’s customers achieve their design goals and accelerate the time-to-market of their products.

SiPh integrated circuits are becoming widespread particularly in applications related to datacom, radio frequency, and sensing. Yole’s Silicon Photonics Market and Technology 2020, shows that in 2019, shipments of SiPh transceivers for datacenters reached almost 3.5 million units, generating revenues worth approximately US$364 million as a result of the development of transceivers to penetrate the silicon photonics world for telecom/datacom applications. By 2025, this market is expected to be worth US$3.6 billion with 24 million units shipped. This has also driven the emergence of an ecosystem with PDKs, design rules, simulation software, testing equipment, and foundries.

CompoundTek PDKs are key to commercialising silicon photonics for these applications, with the Ansys partnership facilitating innovative PDK-driven methodologies such as the new process-enabled custom design flow in Ansys Lumerical DEVICE Suite. The key enabler in this flow is the Layer Builder, which generates a 3D CAD model from the design layout (typically in GDS format) and the foundry process file. The latter is now provided by CompoundTek and it contains critical technology information such as the vertical position, thickness, material and sidewall angle of each process layer.

The technology information is typically delivered in handbooks provided by foundries, but lack of a process file necessitates manual configurations of the CAD model which is both time-consuming and error-prone. By using a process file verified by CompoundTek, customers spend less time configuring the geometry of their simulation and more time focusing on the actual design and optimisation stages of their work.

Read the full press release below:

Company looks to bring commercialisation insights in the development of best practices across the industry value chain

Singapore, 12 May 2020 – CompoundTek, a global foundry services leader in emerging silicon photonics (SiPh) solutions announces its participation in the JEDEC Silicon Photonics Qualification and Reliability Standards Task Group. Established to lead the industry in creating sought after guidelines, methodologies and standards for SiPh qualification and reliability, the Task Group is a new remit under JEDEC, an organisation focused on developing open standards and publications for the microelectronics industry that spans a wide range of technologies.

CompoundTek’s onboarding, at the heels of a referral by a leading system company, speaks to CompoundTek’s on-going efforts in upholding quality assurance and setting benchmarks in the nascent field of SiPh. Rapidly becoming mainstay as integrated circuits in telecommunication network solutions, SiPh is additionally a key driver to the growth of niche capabilities within applications such as sensing, bio-medical, cryptography and quantum computing.

Outlining the significance and timeliness of the Task Group, CompoundTek’s Senior Director of Technical Integration and Development, S. Gunasagar said, “In bringing together various industry experts, JEDEC has effectively enabled the advancing of know-how and technologies among an evolving global engineering community. Dedicated to achieving reliability and exacting quality standards critical to SiPh industry, this goal resonates with CompoundTek’s broader efforts to align infrastructure, foundry and test standards within our ecosystem, which in turn, improves supply chain and turnaround times to market.”

It also reinforces our belief that standards will help customers resolve cost and operational problems during technology proliferation with established guidelines rather than solving the same problems repeatedly, S.Gunasagar adds.

The company, has recently embarked on establishing Open Standards for layout, design and automation of Photonic Integrated Circuit Testing, in partnership with Keysight Technologies, Inc., and the National Information Optoelectronics Innovation Center (NOEIC).

Early this year, CompoundTek operationalised Southeast Asia’s first state-of-the-art, foundry-agnostic SiPh testing services hub in Singapore to facilitate its expanding solutions’ portfolio and activities. This capability enables CompoundTek to further contribute to the JEDEC Task Group with real-world insights, market trends and challenges faced in the industry.

Read the full press release here

Singapore, 8 May 2020 – Last month, we introduced a flow diagram discussing how CompoundTek’s PDK and Open Manufacturing Platform can help make your silicon dreams come true. But what happens if you want to create custom devices?

Designing custom designs from a theoretical basic version based on several free parameters tends to lead to a limited known library of devices and inadequate design parameter spaces. With custom devices, a proven Photonic Inverse Design Flow from Design Specification to Photonic Inverse Design Optimisation to Silicon Fabrication  to Wafer-Level Test, might be an effective alternative and better meet your design needs.

Learn more with our on-demand webinar [login required]: http://bit.ly/CTLumerical

Or read more with our infographic here:

Measures in place following “Circuit Breaker” announcement, facilitating both on-going operations and customer commitments

Singapore, 24^th April, 2020 – On 3 April 2020, Singapore’s Multi-Ministry Taskforce (Singapore’s Taskforce) on the Coronavirus announced the implementation of an elevated set of safe distancing measures, as a “circuit breaker” to pre-empt the trend of increasing local transmission of COVID-19. Initially extended from 7 April 2020 to 4 May 2020, a further extension until 1 June 2020 was confirmed on the 21 April 2020. Most physical workplace premises are closed except for those providing essential services and in selected economic sectors critical to local and global supply chains. This includes the semiconductor sector and is therefore exempted from the suspension.

Such exemption, however, still necessitates companies like CompoundTek to operate with the minimum staff required without comprising both the ongoing, day-to-day operation and implementation of strict safe distancing measures.

Critical to our Business Continuity Plans is the success of our customers and in this regard, the team at CompoundTek wish to assure you that we have a robust global supply chain enabling us to continue to ship products in and out of all countries we are engaged in.  Our commitment also extends to implementations of the following:

• End-to-end business continuity plans with some measure of agility to meet customer commitments.
• Supply chain activities for material supplies, foundry partners, post-fabrication partners and strategic logistic partners are meticulously operationalised for continued availability.
• “Working From Home” scheme has been activated for employees and contractors that can do so while on-site staff are required to adhere to Singapore’s Taskforce guidelines.
• Additional handshaking activities and beforehand planning are done to ensure continued smooth operations.
• All travel is disallowed and with leadership authorisation necessary should such a need arise.
• No large social contacts within teams and with all external parties, limited in frequency and size of the group to a minimum.
• Online meeting and video conferencing tools are in place with the use of such facilities taking precedence over are physical meetings and are actively utilised to remain connected with our customers and other partners.
• Employees are continually communicated with and are advised on additional hygiene practices and guidelines. Most importantly, their wellbeing is also monitored with regular check-ins.
• Employees are to ensure the physical distancing of at least 1m of clearance in seating arrangement and non-transient interaction.
• Employees are required to wear a mask when they are in office.

We would like to thank all our customers for your understanding and cooperation with us during such an unprecedented time. While guided by the Taskforce, CompoundTek continues to monitor and assess the fast-changing situation and is committed to communicating promptly, continually and transparently with customers on potential delays of shipments and any other issue that may arise from this situation, and thank you in anticipation of your understanding and commitment to the process.

For any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at enquiries@compoundtek.com