PAUL MOMTAHAN COMPOUND SEMICONDUCTORS
THINK SILICON IS THE ONLY STRATEGIC SEMICONDUCTOR? THINK AGAIN!
Semiconductors are strategic. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association, total global chip sales reached US$574 billion in 2022. Furthermore, these chips are key for a wide range of huge industries, including computing (US$414 billion in 2022), automotive (US$2.9 trillion in 2022), communications (US$1.8 trillion in 2022), and consumer electronics (US$723 billion in 2022). Semiconductors are also key for many industries of the future, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, clean technology, and robotics, writes Paul Momtahan ,
Solutions Marketing Director at Infinera. G overnments around the world now recognise the strategic importance of the ability to design and manufacture semiconductors domestically, including securing the supply of key manufacturing equipment and Examples of government recognition and action include the US CHIPS and Science Act and the European Chips Act. The US CHIPS (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors) and Science
electronics and computing. While silicon- based semiconductors are clearly strategic, compound semiconductors, combining two or more elements, and in particular the photonic products they enable, are equally strategic in the modern world. Photonic technology obviously plays a critical role in optical communications, enabling tens of terabits per second to be transmitted over the submarine and long-haul terrestrial fibres that provide the backbone for the internet, while also facilitating high-speed metro, mobile backhaul, and broadband access networks. It also enables the hyperscale data centres from Google, Meta, Amazon, and Microsoft, delivering scalable communications between servers and switches. It even has a role to play in the future of space communications. These metro, long haul and submarine networks are powered by coherent optical engine technology. As shown in Figure 1, coherent optical engines include a number of components and functions. First, we have the digital ASIC which provides the digital signal processing (DSP), digital-to-
Act supports domestic semiconductor production in the United States through legislation and financial support to the value of US$52 billion. This US$52 billion comprises US$39 billion in subsidies for chip manufacturing and US$13 billion for semiconductor research and workforce training. The act was passed by Congress in July 2022 and signed into law by President Joe Biden in August 2022. Following the approval by the European Parliament and Council, the European Chips Act entered into force on September 21, 2023. The aim of this legislation is to increase the European percentage of semiconductor production from less than 10% to at least 20% with the aid of a €43 billion investment. However, when many people hear of semiconductors and chips, they naturally think of the silicon-based semiconductors that manipulate electrons for digital
materials. This importance was highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic, when entire industries were hampered by a lack of critical semiconductors, and by recent geopolitical tensions and the ongoing threat of supply chain disruption resulting from new or increased tensions. In addition to mitigating supply chain disruption risks, benefits of domestically manufactured semiconductors include high-value jobs, faster innovation, GDP growth, and increased tax revenue. The semiconductor industry, and industries it enables such as artificial intelligence, are also strategically important for national security, with applications including defence technology and preventing cyber threats, including cyber espionage and cyber warfare.
Figure 1: Coherent optical engine high-level building blocks
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| ISSUE 36 | Q1 2024
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