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