Photonics is a functional application of light and the silicon has an important role to play in this. Significant improvements in semiconductor processing technologies have boosted the optical performance needed for photonics in silicon. In addition, various optical functions of the silicon substrate brought about fast development.

Benefits of Silicon Photonics

•    Silicon photonics combines economical manufacturing processes, for example the CMOS process, with superior performance of optical communication devices, wide bandwidth, and power efficiency. Conventional communications methods are severely limited in transmission speed and bandwidth, and energy efficiency is to be sacrificed for achieving high-speed communication. 

•    Simultaneously, although optoelectronic devices could easily attain the desired performance characteristics mentioned above, each device should be assembled in 3D, component by component, physically in airtight housings. Silicon photonics integrates these optical and electrical functions into a single chip.

• By removing the requirement to physically assemble the parts, these devices can attain the functions more compactly, making these more apt for mass production.

•    WDM can be applied in silicon photonics devices, making it increase the numerous wavelength channels available on a single optical fiber, without taking up any more space.

Role of Silicone Photonics in 5G

5G technology will revolutionize the industry, forming the basic infra of the ubiquitous computing society. The key force behind 5G expansion is the expanding telecom industry. However, Industry 4.0, AR, and M2M communications are also significant contributors.

5G systems will handle averagely 10 times, and even up to 1000 times during peak use, the present traffic levels, while consuming less power. Furthermore, 5G systems will handle new services requiring very low latency for example beam formation technologies, new frequency, bands carrier aggregation, and other that have strict time domain needs. 

Concurrently, the application transport network will need sufficient capacity to handle the numerous data packets generated by various users and devices connected to the network, and the augmented requirements of future applications. Also, it must meet all these requirements in a flexible, economical, and sustainable way.

To meet the growing needs, the transformation of the mobile access network will be required, equivalent to revising the backbone transport network.

Optical communications can meet all of these requirements. Though, the performance of conformist technologies for example core metro networks and discrete components is not enough for meeting the requirements of the future, for example, high-energy efficiency, low-cost, miniaturization, and RAN applications. 

Photonics, and specifically silicon photonics, is just perfect for meeting these needs. Silicon photonics syndicates the cost-efficiency of CMOS manufacturing procedures and packaging technologies with the assistances of optical communications for example low latency, high speed, and wide bandwidth, and is the only tech existing for meeting those needs.

Coming to a Close

It is because of the increasing demand for silicon photonics in 5G networks and data centers, the demand for the same is on the rise and will reach a value of USD 8,475.1 million, by the end of this decade.