Coherent Corp, a technology innovation company based in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, United States, recently introduced a new series of high-efficiency continuous-wave (CW) distributed feedback (DFB) lasers designed specifically for silicon photonic transceiver modules. These lasers are breakthrough in O-band (about 1310nm) applications and are expected to dramatically improve the performance of silicon photonic modulators in 800G and 1.6T optical transceivers to meet the growing bandwidth demands of AI-driven data centers.
Technological innovation, power efficiency has been significantly improved
Coherent Corp's CW indium phosphide (InP) lasers feature the company's unique low series resistance design, which is expected to deliver approximately 15% better power efficiency compared to existing industry standards. This advancement not only responds to the industry need to reduce the power consumption of silicon photonic transceivers, but also shows significant advantages in terms of operational efficiency.
Expansion of production capacity to meet the growing demand of the market
Dr. Kou-Wei Wang, vice president of Coherent Corp, said the company is addressing the power reduction issues faced by customers through technological innovation. With plans to expand to its advanced 6-inch InP fab in Sherman, Texas in 2026, production capacity is expected to be five times the current one. This significant increase in production capacity will effectively support the growing demand for InP lasers from customers.
Pictured: Koshiren introduces the CW DFB InP laser
Reliability and durability set a new benchmark in the industry
Coherent Corp's new 70mW 1310nm laser is designed to operate without cooling and sealing, and is stable at junction temperatures up to 85°C. This laser is not only highly efficient, but also offers superior reliability and durability, further improving the overall performance of the product thanks to the elimination of aluminum in the active quantum well region.
Product roadmap to continue to promote the development of the industry
Coherent Corp plans to launch higher power cool-operated lasers in 2025, as well as lasers specifically tailored for coarse wavelength division multiplexing (CWDM) grids. These new products will further enrich the company's laser product line to meet the needs of different application scenarios.
Epilogue
This innovative move by Coherent Corp not only demonstrates the company's deep strength in materials, networking and laser technologies, but also injects new impetus into the development of silicon photonic transceiver modules. With the continuous advancement of artificial intelligence and data center technology, Coherent Corp's new lasers are expected to play an increasingly important role in the global optical communications industry.
