Taiwan’s United Microelectronics Corp. secured a technology licensing agreement with Belgium-based research hub imec for its iSiPP300 silicon photonics process, seeking to expand into next-generation optical connectivity as AI workloads strain traditional copper interconnects.
The deal allows UMC to develop a 12-inch silicon photonics platform compatible with co-packaged optics technology, which data centers increasingly require for high-bandwidth, low-latency data transmission. The company plans risk production in 2026 and 2027 for optical transceiver applications.
UMC arrives relatively late to a market where competitors have already moved. GlobalFoundries acquired Singapore-based Advanced Micro Foundry last month, becoming the largest pure-play silicon photonics foundry by revenue. Meanwhile, TSMC completed verification of its COUPE silicon photonics platform in the first half of 2025 and is reportedly set to integrate the technology into its CoWoS advanced packaging for Nvidia’s next-generation AI server chips, according to Taiwan’s Liberty Times.
UMC will leverage its existing 8-inch silicon photonics manufacturing experience and silicon-on-insulator wafer expertise to build out the new platform. Senior Vice President GC Hung indicated the company is already working with several customers on the technology.
The imec licensing approach offers UMC access to established process design kits and shortens the path to commercial production, though the foundry still faces a timeline gap against better-positioned rivals.
