Kotura leads the way in silicon photonics

Recently, I received an update on Kotura's latest initiatives in silicon photonics.

The transition from copper to optics is underway and promises to deliver data at the speed of light – not just through fiber optic cables but on computer chips. Leading this movement is silicon photonics innovator Kotura.

Kotura is headquartered in Monterey Park, CA with its own silicon CMOS fab and many resident PhDs. It has an extensive IP portfolio and over 60 granted patents. While the initial adoption of silicon photonics has been largely in the telecommunications industry, Kotura is taking its unique platform that integrates optics and electronics to broader markets that are seeking greater performance, bandwidth and energy efficiency.

Data centers, for instance, are being driven to provide more bandwidth at high performance levels and are consuming huge amounts of energy. Optical interconnect in data center networks promises relief to an industry that is destined for continued growth.

One of Kotura’s strengths, and a key to advancing its technology and speed- and energy-saving applications, has been a robust R&D program, funded by a mix of private industry and Federal Government sources such as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the Departments of Commerce (NIST) and Energy.

As for the market drivers, a variety of markets currently use silicon photonics. The telecom industry was an early adopter of the technology and has implemented it with great success. Now there is a movement to expand silicon photonics to other applications that require high bandwidth density, low power and small footprint connectivity. Data server farms, electric smart grid, supercomputing, and sensors for infrastructure are just a sampling of the applications that are well suited to benefit from silicon photonics.

Kotura has many partners in both the public and private sector, including several universities and departments of the US government.

Kotura maintains strong ties to a variety of associations including 10x10msa, CIAN, MIT Roadmapping, Optoelectronics Industry Development Association (OIDA), OSA, IEEE 802.3ba 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s Ethernet Standards Committee, Video Electronics
Standards Association (VESA), Silicon Photonics Alliance.

This is excellent news for all concerned. Silicon photonics is the way forward!