Latitude Design Systems

Latitude Design Systems's PIC Studio, photonic integrated circuit design automation tool has been awarded the "Best Product" prize by LightCounting Market Research CEO and Chief Analyst Vladimir Kozlov. This selection process shortlisted eight entries from innovative new products in the global optical communications sector, ultimately awarding three categories: Best Product, Best Technology, and Best Business Strategy. We are honored to have won the Best Product award. The evaluation focused on new products and technologies in the optical communications market, including data centers and AI cluster interconnections from startup companies. This competition selected eight finalists from Europe, America, and Asia, showcasing their products, technologies, and business strategies to a panel of expert judges and numerous potential customers. We would like to thank LightCounting Market Research for providing a platform for our peers around the world to exchange ideas. #PIC_Studio

The Franz-Keldysh effect enhances responsivity in Ge-on-Si photodetectors, enabling efficient broadband detection across the C, L, and U bands—critical for advanced optical communications and sensing applications. 🔍 Zoom in ‣ Narrower Ge strips (e.g., 0.8 μm) suffer a blue-shifted absorption edge, limiting responsivity in the L and U bands. ‣ Applying reverse bias activates the Franz-Keldysh effect, significantly boosting responsivity and enabling detection up to 1.675 μm. ‣ At higher reverse voltages, avalanche multiplication further amplifies responsivity across all studied wavelengths. Discover how this innovation improves broadband photodetection: https://lnkd.in/gkgCdVtD #SiliconPhotonics #GeStripPhotodetectors #FranzKeldyshEffect #OpticalCommunications Citation: S. Kaneko, J. A. Piedra-Lorenzana, K. Yamane, J. Fujikata, and Y. Ishikawa, "Franz-Keldysh Effect in Lateral pin Photodetectors of Ge Strip on Si at C-, L- and U-Band Wavelengths," Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Japan, and Institute of Post-LED Photonics, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan, 2024.

As demand for bandwidth in data centers soars, this silicon photonic WDM receiver with thermally controlled ring resonator filters (RRFs) offers a scalable, energy-efficient solution for high-speed optical communication. 🔬 The big picture ‣ The system processes 4 wavelength channels at 28 Gb/s each, achieving a total of 112 Gb/s, with stable operation under temperature variations. ‣ Thermally controlled RRFs maintain wavelength stability using on-chip heaters and an FPGA-based temperature controller, ensuring error-free data transmission (BER ≤ 10⁻¹²). ‣ Compact integration via CMOS-compatible fabrication makes it ideal for co-packaged optics and photonic chiplets in next-gen data center interconnects. What’s your take on silicon photonics enabling the next leap in data center technology? https://lnkd.in/gcytgFdK #SiliconPhotonics #WDM #DataCenterTech #CoPackagedOptics Citation: J.-H. Lee, H.-K. Kim, M. Kim, Y. Jo, S. Lischke, C. Mai, L. Zimmermann, and W.-Y. Choi, "A 112-Gb/s Hybrid-Integrated Si Photonic WDM Receiver with Ring-Resonator Filters," in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Photonics, Seoul, South Korea, 2024, pp. 1-2. doi: 979-8-3503-9404-7/24/$31.00.

Hybrid III-V/SiN lasers have unlocked a path to compact, self-starting optical frequency combs (OFCs) with few-GHz repetition rates—perfect for advancing LIDAR, spectroscopy, and coherent communications. 🔬 The big picture ‣ By combining four-wave mixing, relaxation oscillations, and the Vernier effect from coupled SiN rings, these lasers generate high-quality OFCs directly on-chip. ‣ Achieved combs span up to 100 GHz bandwidth with line separations of a few GHz, making them ideal for wavelength-division multiplexing without external drivers. ‣ Noise analysis confirms exceptional phase locking, ensuring reliable performance for demanding applications. Learn how this innovation transforms integrated photonics: https://lnkd.in/gp-mCRSQ #OpticalFrequencyCombs #SiliconPhotonics #CoherentCommunications #HybridLasers Citation: C. Rimoldi, M. Novarese, L. Columbo, M. Gioannini, "Few-GHz Repetition Rate Frequency Combs in III-V/SiN External Cavity Lasers," Department of Electronics and Telecommunications, Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy, 2024.

GeSn-on-Si avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are paving the way for high-speed, low-light SWIR detection in critical applications like lidar, fiber-optic communications, and medical diagnostics. 🔬 The big picture ‣ With a 60 GHz gain-bandwidth product, these APDs achieve bandwidths up to 3.9 GHz and high responsivity at 1,550 nm, thanks to the incorporation of Sn, which enhances absorption in the SWIR region. ‣ Bandwidth increases with reverse voltage due to resonance in the avalanche region, enabling high-speed operation while maintaining low dark current. ‣ These advances position GeSn-on-Si APDs as a competitive solution for eye-safe imaging and next-gen optical systems. Explore how this technology is revolutionizing SWIR detection: https://lnkd.in/g9d979qu #SWIR #OpticalDetection #Photodiodes #GeSnAPDs #HighSpeedData #LidarTechnology #FiberOptics Citation: M. Wanitzek, D. Schwarz, J. Schulze, and M. Oehme, "Bandwidth enhancement in GeSn-on-Si avalanche photodiodes with a 60 GHz gain-bandwidth-product," Institute of Semiconductor Engineering, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, and Chair of Electron Devices, Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany, 2024.

The LightBundle architecture demonstrates a groundbreaking path to surpass the bandwidth and power limits of electrical interconnects, achieving over 1 Tbps at record-low energy levels. 🌟 Zoom in ‣ Researchers integrated 304 microLEDs on a 16nm CMOS chip, enabling 1 Tbps bidirectional bandwidth with sub-1 pJ/bit energy consumption. ‣ This highly parallel architecture avoids power-hungry SerDes circuits by operating hundreds of low-speed lanes, ideal for dense chip-to-chip communication. ‣ With an areal density of 1.5 Tbps/mm², it’s the most compact and energy-efficient optical transceiver IC yet. Discover how this innovation could redefine computing architectures: https://lnkd.in/gxrVBP2e #OpticalInterconnects #MicroLEDs #EnergyEfficientComputing #LowPowerTech #PhotonicsResearch Citation: B. Pezeshki, "430nm Optical Transceiver on CMOS Using 304 µLEDs with Aggregate 1 Tbps and Sub-pJ per Bit Capability," in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Photonics, Sunnyvale, CA, USA, 2024, pp. 1-2. doi: 979-8-3503-9404-7/24/$31.00.

Integrating 2 μm InGaAs photodiodes onto silicon photonic circuits unlocks new possibilities for on-chip molecular sensing in applications like healthcare and environmental monitoring. 🌟 The backstory ‣ Researchers demonstrated micro transfer printing of InGaAs photodiodes onto SOI waveguide circuits, achieving 0.45 A/W responsivity at 1967 nm with low dark current (<15 nA). ‣ The device leverages quantum-confined Stark effect (QCSE) for tunable absorption and aligns seamlessly with grating couplers, enabling compact, scalable integration. ‣ This approach combines the sensitivity of SWIR photodetectors with the scalability of silicon photonics, paving the way for dense, low-cost sensor arrays. Explore the full research and its implications: https://lnkd.in/gQmrFk_g #SWIR #SiliconPhotonics #MolecularSensing #OpticalSensing Citation: Y. Arafat, B. Roycroft, J. Justice, L. O’Faolain, A. Gocalińska, E. Pelucchi, F. Atar, F. Gunning, E. Russel, B. Corbett, "Extended InGaAs Photodiode Integrated on SOI Waveguide Circuit for 2 µm Waveband," Tyndall National Institute, Cork, Ireland; Munster Technological University, Cork, Ireland, 2024.

Achieving ultra-low power and high-speed optical modulators is crucial for scaling energy-efficient optical interconnects in data centers and computational systems. 💡 Between the lines ‣ This ITiO-gated MOSCAP silicon microring modulator (Si-MRM) operates at just 0.8 Vpp with a 53 fJ/bit energy efficiency—dramatically lower than traditional Si-MRMs. ‣ It supports data rates up to 25 Gb/s, with a 6 dB extinction ratio and a compact footprint, paving the way for low-power, high-bandwidth optical interconnects. ‣ Its innovative high-mobility ITiO/HfO2 integration significantly enhances electro-optic efficiency, reducing the need for power-hungry amplifiers. Discover how this innovation is redefining optical communications: https://lnkd.in/gQmrFk_g #OpticalInterconnects #SiliconPhotonics #EnergyEfficiency Citation: W.-C. Hsu, N. Nujhat, B. Kupp, J. F. Conley, Jr., and A. X. Wang, "High-Speed Low-Voltage MOSCAP-Driven Silicon Microring Modulator," School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA, and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA, 2024.

Data centers are hitting bandwidth limits, and this polarization-diverse CWDM silicon photonic receiver could revolutionize energy-efficient, high-speed communication systems for next-gen networks. 🔍 Zoom in ‣ Developed by KYOCERA, the 1.6-Tbps photonic integrated circuit (PIC) combines polarization splitters, demultiplexers, variable optical attenuators, and photodiodes into a compact 6-mm-wide receiver. ‣ It compensates for polarization-dependent losses, achieving a 266 Gbps/mm shoreline bandwidth density—ideal for co-packaged optics (CPO) in data centers. ‣ This innovation addresses the growing need for scalable, energy-efficient optical links, tackling both space and power challenges. What do you think about co-packaged optics as a solution for scaling data infrastructure? https://lnkd.in/gruhegCE #SiliconPhotonics #DataCenters #CWDM #CoPackagedOptics Citation: N. Matsui, H. Uemura, R. Motoji, D. Maeda, and T. Sugita, "A Polarization-Diverse Coarse Wavelength-Division Multiplexing Silicon Photonic Receiver," in Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Photonics, Yokohama, Japan, 2024, pp. 1-2. doi: 979-8-3503-9404-7/24/$31.00.

A breakthrough in silicon photonics just shattered data transmission records, setting a new standard for scalable, energy-efficient optical communications. 🔍 The big picture ‣ Researchers achieved 170 Gbaud on-off-keying (OOK) with a silicon photonic ring resonator modulator (RRM), outperforming the forward error correction threshold for both direct and 100m fiber transmission. ‣ This milestone demonstrates the potential for compact, high-speed transceivers critical to next-gen 800 Gbps and 1.6 Tbps networks. ‣ It’s a step closer to scalable, low-energy solutions for ultra-high-speed data links in a world demanding ever-faster connectivity. Read more about the experiment and its implications: https://lnkd.in/ghS98F5G #SiliconPhotonics #OpticalNetworks #HighSpeedData #OpticalInterconnects Citation: Ostrovskis, T. Salgals, M. Koenigsmann, et al., "170 Gbaud On-Off-Keying SiP Ring Resonator Modulator-based Link for Short-Reach Applications," in IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. xx, no. xx, pp. 1-8, 2024.