Twenty-four tech companies led by STMicroelectronics are joining efforts to establish Europe as a technology leader in 300mm silicon photonics (SiPho). This will be the first silicon photonics applications-based innovations for datacenters and artificial intelligence (AI) clusters, telecommunications, and automotive markets

Called the STARLight, the STMicroelectornics-led consortium will bring together industrial and academic partners from 11 European countries to position the region as a technology leader in 300mm SiPho technology. Specifically, they will establish a high-volume manufacturing line, developing leading-edge optical modules, and fostering a complete value chain. From now until 2028, STARLight aims to develop application-driven solutions focusing on key industry sectors such as datacenters, AI clusters, telecommunications, and automotive markets.

Critial Role in AI Factory

The European Commission, under the EU CHIPS Joint Undertaking initiative, has selected the STARLight consortium for the region’s undertaking.

Remi El-Ouazzane, President, Microcontrollers, Digital ICs and RF products Group at STMicroelectronics, said SiPho technology is critical to put Europe at the crossroads to the AI factory of the future. Moroever, he said the STARLight project represents a significant step for the entire value chain in Europe, driving innovation and collaboration among leading technology companies.

“By focusing on application-based results, the project aims to deliver cutting-edge solutions for datacenters, AI clusters, telecommunications, and automotive markets. With well-recognized pan-European partners, the STARLight consortium is set to lead the next generation of silicon photonics technologies and applications,” said El-Ouazzane.

Silicon photonics is a preferred technology to support datacenters and AI clusters optical interconnects for scale-out and scale-up growth, as well as for other technologies such as LIDAR, space applications and AI photonic processors that require better energy-efficiency and power efficient data transfer. It combines the high-yield manufacturing capabilities of CMOS silicon, commonly used in electronic circuits, with the benefits of photonics, which transmits data using light.

Addressing Key Challenges

The development of advanced Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) will tackle several challenges.

One is high-speed modulation, and the group aims to create a highly efficient modulators capable of operating at speeds exceeding 200 Gbps per lane is a key focus. Another is laser integration, which is developing efficient and reliable on-chip lasers is critical for integrated systems.

Another challenge is the integration of various new advanced materials on a single innovative silicon photonics platform, such as Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI), Lithium Niobate (LNOI), and Barium Titanate (BTO).

Moreover, will be optimizing the packaging and integration of PICs with electronic circuits is essential to optimize signal integrity and minimize power consumption.

Applications-Based Innovations

The STARLight project has an initial focus to build datacom demonstrators for datacenters, based on PIC100 technology, capable of handling up to 200Gb/s with key actors including ST, SICOYA and THALES. It will also develop prototypes for free-space optical transmission systems, designed for both space and terrestrial communication.

Furthermore, the STARLight project aims to develop a cutting-edge photonic processor optimized for tensor operations, such as matrix vector multiplication and multiply-accumulate, with superior characteristics in terms of size, data processing speed, and energy consumption compared to existing technologies. Since neural networks – the core algorithms behind AI – rely heavily on tensor operations, enhancing their efficiency is critical for AI processing performance.

The STARLight project will also demonstrate how it performs in sensing applications, and the close relationships of STEERLIGHT, a LiDAR sensors maker, with leading car manufacturers will help make this an industrial reality. Moreover, the consortium also plans to develop and showcase innovative silicon photonic devices specifically designed for the telecommunications industry.

25 September 2025