TSMC is advancing its silicon photonics technology through a new collaboration with engineering simulation software leader Ansys, alongside partners like Microsoft and Huida (Nvidia). This joint effort aims to significantly increase the simulation speed of silicon photonic components by over ten times, using Microsoft Azure’s AI cloud infrastructure powered by Nvidia AI chips.
Silicon photonics, a key technology for ultra-fast, energy-efficient data transmission, plays a crucial role in AI applications, data centers, and IoT systems. With generative AI servers demanding high-speed, low-power data transfer, silicon photonics offers an integrated optical solution to meet these requirements.
TSMC’s partnership with Ansys leverages advanced simulation tools on Azure’s cloud platform, drastically accelerating the simulation of complex optical components. This breakthrough is expected to strengthen TSMC’s leadership in silicon photonics and contribute to the global growth of AI technologies.
TSMC is optimistic about the future of silicon photonics, citing the potential to reduce energy consumption in AI cloud services, which could account for 3.5% of global energy usage by 2030. The company is also developing technologies like the Compact Universal Photonic Engine (COUPE) and plans to integrate CoWoS packaging into silicon photonics by 2026.
