Designing Electro-Optical Chips

As demand for high-speed, low-power optical interconnects grows in AI infrastructure, data centers, and communications systems, silicon photonics is transitioning from specialized research to mainstre... Read original →

Silicon photonics is transitioning from lab-scale research to mass production, fundamentally reshaping the EDA toolchain. Traditional EDA tools struggle with the continuous and physics-driven nature of photonic circuits, prompting vendors like Keysight and Cadence to integrate electromagnetic simulation and compact modeling into electronic platforms. This shift is driven by the escalating demand for high-speed, low-power optical interconnects in AI infrastructure and data centers. The move impacts the entire semiconductor value chain—from upstream material standards to downstream manufacturing processes—forcing a reevaluation of design rules and simulation workflows. Geopolitical tensions, particularly U.S. export controls on advanced technologies, are accelerating supply chain localization efforts. Companies that fail to standardize their design flows risk fragmentation, while early adopters will gain strategic advantages in the rapidly expanding AI infrastructure market.