Photon Bridge

Building a photonics company in Europe means building a supply chain and a customer base that reaches well beyond it. This past week we joined Plug and Play Japan for their networking and pitching events in Seoul and Tokyo. Plug and Play Japan has built an ecosystem where corporates, investors and startups arrive ready to do business, and is deliberately connecting the complementary strengths of Japan, Korea and Taiwan across materials, components, advanced packaging and semiconductor manufacturing. Photon Bridge is developing multi-wavelength light sources for AI datacenter co-packaged optics. Scaling that technology depends on partnerships across this region: customers defining the next generation of optical interconnect, and supply chain partners who can take us from prototype to volume. 🙏 Thank you to the Plug and Play Japan team and Hayata Okubo for the introductions and the hospitality. A week like this makes the distance between Eindhoven and Asia feel a good deal shorter.

Photon Bridge featured by IO+ NL Magazine 💫 Photon Bridge has been featured by IO+ in a new article highlighting the company's novel approach to photonic integration and scalable manufacturing. 𝗣𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗢-𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲. Rather than relying on increasingly complex monolithic integration, Photon Bridge's modular platform separates active and passive photonic components, making high-performance laser integration significantly easier to manufacture at scale. The article explores how this manufacturing-first philosophy could accelerate the deployment of photonic technologies for AI data centers and next-generation optical communications by improving yield, reducing complexity, and enabling compatibility with standard semiconductor packaging processes. We are grateful to Mauro Mereu and the IO+ NL editorial team for covering our vision and sharing how Photon Bridge is helping bridge the gap between breakthrough photonics innovation and high-volume manufacturing. 👉 https://lnkd.in/e2K9nMnj

🏆 Photon Bridge wins Gerard & Anton 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 🏆 This recognition is especially meaningful because it highlights not only technological innovation, but also the importance of solving one of the biggest challenges in photonics today: making high-performance photonic technologies manufacturable at the scale required by AI infrastructure.   This award is a recognition of the hard work of our team and the strength of the Dutch deep-tech ecosystem. We would particularly like to thank the Brainport Eindhoven ecosystem, the Eindhoven University of Technology, and organizations such as PhotonDelta for helping create an environment where deep-tech startups, research institutes, manufacturers, and investors who help and support us bridge the gap between breakthrough innovation and industrial reality. The journey toward volume manufacturing has just started, and we are excited for what comes next.   🙏G&A Awards & Mauro Mereu - IO+ NL

We are pleased to welcome 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝘄 as Director Foundry Operations to the Photon Bridge team.   Based on the US West Coast, James brings a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and more than 20 years of experience in the semiconductor and MEMS industries. At Photon Bridge, he will support a broad range of activities including operations, data analysis, and foundry management as we continue to scale our technology and manufacturing capabilities.   What attracted James to Photon Bridge? James put it simply: ❝Photonics represents an exciting new challenge, and I'm looking forward to helping translate proven semiconductor manufacturing practices into scalable photonic technologies.❞ That curiosity, combined with deep industry experience and an appetite for solving complex engineering challenges, makes him a valuable addition to the team.   From his base on the US West Coast, James will help bridge deep semiconductor manufacturing expertise with the emerging world of integrated photonics, while further extending Photon Bridge's presence in the North American ecosystem. We are excited to have James join us on the journey, welcome aboard, James! 👋 Working at Photon Bridge ➡️ https://lnkd.in/ekryVhYd

Proud to share this interview by Jose Pozo from the Optica GAMA Summit in Brussels. Photonics can deliver the performance AI infrastructure needs. The next challenge is manufacturing at scale. In this interview, John Anderton explains why the real question is not active versus passive alignment, but how to achieve high optical performance with manufacturable tolerances. Solve that, and scalable production becomes possible. Watch the interview and stay tuned for John's segment.

Great discussions at the Optica GAMA Summit on the future of co-packaged optics and the path from innovation to deployment. Thanks, John, for sharing your reflections. It is encouraging when industry discussions land exactly on the challenge we are solving: turning great photonics into manufacturable photonics.

Want to stay ahead in silicon photonics and AI infrastructure developments? Stay ahead with our newsletter 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀.   Subscribe to the Photon Bridge quarterly newsletter for: 👓 Expert insights 📈 Industry trends 🔭 Future signals 📢 Company updates   Stay connected with the latest developments shaping the future of photonics. 𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲. 𝗡𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗺, 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱. Subscribe 👉 https://lnkd.in/egtNc5wz

Last week at Optica OIM, we presented how we enable 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴.   We were glad to share the session with NVIDIA, Nokia, Lightmatter, and Jabil, alongside X-Celeprint, Epiphany Design, Finetech, PHIX Photonics Assembly, and Werner Lieb GmbH, a strong cross-section of the innovators making photonic integration at datacenter scale a reality.   One theme ran through the room: packaging is the hard part. Throughput, automation and assembly complexity are the real constraints on scaling photonics. It is not just optical performance.   Here's how Photon Bridge is addressing it:   1️⃣ 𝗣𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗢𝗦𝗔𝗧 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 Our cantilever waveguide interface converts standard flip-chip placement tolerances (~2µm) into <200nm optical accuracy at the laser–silicon facet. No active alignment, no post-bond tuning and compatible with standard OSAT tooling and throughput.   2️⃣ 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Thick-film waveguide geometry supports >1W on-chip optical power: more than 50× the capacity of sub-micron membrane platforms, without nonlinear loss penalties.   3️⃣ 𝗙𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀, 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆 On-interposer WDM multiplexing eliminates the discrete star coupler and cuts PM fibre connection count in half at equivalent optical power to the CPO: fewer assembly steps, fewer failure points.   → 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗟𝗦𝗙𝗣 These three properties combine in a single field-deployable module, a multi-wavelength DWDM external laser source targeting >30mW per color per fiber at the CPO input, across 8, 16, and 32-channel configurations. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝗟𝗦 𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲.   Thanks to Optica and Jon Pugh & Jose Pozo for a well-structured session on a topic that's only getting more important.   ❓ Working on CPO packaging or photonic integration at scale? 👉 We would welcome the conversation, just reach out directly or DM us here. 🎥 Missed it? You can watch the OIM session https://lnkd.in/e7kvnFq4

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶-𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵 𝗘𝗟𝗦𝗙𝗣 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲?   At Photon Bridge, we are building external laser sources designed to deliver the optical power, wavelength density, and manufacturability needed for next-generation AI data centers. 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗘𝗟𝗦𝗙𝗣 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵-𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺, 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘄𝗶𝗱𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿, 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.   But the real breakthrough is not only what we build. It is how we make it manufacturable.   Our new animation shows the technology behind the product: Photon Bridge’s patented cantilever waveguide platform. This approach enables passive optical alignment between III–V devices and silicon photonic, reducing the need for complex high-precision active alignment procedures and opening the door to OSAT-compatible assembly. The result: a manufacturable bridge between high-performance III–V devices and scalable silicon photonics. Or in other words: high-performance photonics, engineered for scale.   🎥 Watch the animation to learn what unlocks our high-power ELSFP sources.   👉 https://lnkd.in/eAcT2BXM 👉 https://lnkd.in/eEFMWaes 🙏 Michael Claessens Great collaboration on this animation project: productive, creative, and fun to develop.