POET Technologies Inc of San Jose, CA, USA — which has developed the proprietary planar optoelectronic technology (POET) platform for monolithic fabrication of integrated III-V-based electronic and optical devices on a single semiconductor wafer — says it is on-plan in every developmental, operational and commercial respect in its lab-to-fab initiative to deliver its first product prototypes this year.
POET says it is adhering closely to its commercialization timetable to introduce a monolithic optoelectronics process platform for the production of smart optical components. Built to deliver the power of light at near the competitive price points of copper, POET's platform is designed to be capable of significant improvements in energy efficiency, component cost and size.
The firm says that, since is previous corporate update (on 30 September), it has achieved the following milestones:
- POET has transferred its proprietary technology to multiple foundry partners, and received promising initial results of wafers processed at its newest foundry supplier Wavetek Microelectronics Corp, a member of the New Business Group of silicon wafer foundry United Microelectronics Corp (UMC). The manufacturing services agreement with Taiwan-based pure-play gallium arsenide (GaAs) foundry Wavetek (announced in late January) addresses all of POET's current manufacturing requirements — including vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) — in its ongoing commercialization initiative.
- A process has been initiated to produce integrated VCSEL prototypes, which POET expects to demonstrate in second-quarter 2016.
- Consolidation of Toronto-Connecticut-San Jose operations in Silicon Valley has been completed, nearly a full quarter ahead of plan.
- POET has also accelerated its evaluation of an expanded product roadmap to include display and sensing technology to take advantage of what it believes are increasing market needs for integrated photonics.
- The firm has received specific interest in applications from prospective customers and is in advanced discussions to license for non-recurring engineering (NRE) fees and transfer its proprietary integrated planar optoelectronic technology. Included in the talks is the proposed establishment of a platform for the development of integrated sensing applications.
- POET is also in advanced discussions with a leading institution to enter into a joint development agreement to evaluate adaptation of the POET platform for potential applications in micro-displays for the burgeoning augmented reality market.
CEO Dr Suresh Venkatesan notes that POET is positioned at the confluence of next-wave mega-trends that both encompass and extend beyond data communications. "Photonics is experiencing a post-telecom second wave of growth – this one, fueled by consumers engaged in always-on social networking, cloud computing, Software as a Service (SaaS) and the ubiquitous devices that are central to our lives," says Venkatesan. "Social networking, cloud computing, the Internet of Things and the growth of mega-datacenters are galvanizing a renewed growth spurt in photonics," he adds.
