StarIC and GlobalFoundries announce strategic partnership, release high-Speed TIA and drivers to advance silicon photonics ecosystem

Toronto, Canada - March 25, 2024 -- StarIC is pleased to announce a strategic collaboration with GlobalFoundries (GF) aimed at advancing silicon photonics innovation. This partnership brings forth a breakthrough library of high-speed silicon photonics foundational blocks, specifically tailored for the GF Fotonix™ 45SPCLO process. The library includes silicon proven Micro Ring Modulator (MRM) drivers, and Trans Impedance Amplifiers (TIAs) targeting NRZ and PAM4 data rates exceeding 100GS/s. The library adds to the expanding portfolio of IPs StarIC is actively developing for silicon photonics applications.

GF Fotonix is a monolithic platform, the first in the industry to combine its differentiated 300mm photonics features and 300GHz-class RF-CMOS on a silicon wafer, delivering best-in-class performance at scale.

With years of experience developing ASICs for the GF Fotonix process, StarIC has emerged as a trusted ecosystem partner. Its world-class analog/mixed-signal expertise bridges the gap between electronics and photonics.

A next generation process, Fotonix™ is a widely disruptive silicon photonics platform which has active design wins with major customers and has achieved significant market share today and expects its growth in this segment to outpace the market. The GF Fotonix platform has seen adoption by major players in AI, Quantum computing, and optical interconnect for data centers.

"StarIC is thrilled to be working with GF to bring to market foundational IPs for the Fotonix ecosystem. Our customers are at the forefront of transformative technologies. From cutting-edge computing to lightning-fast optical interconnects, they’re rewriting the rules. Together with GF, we’re fueling their vision. StarIC’s platform solutions bridge the electronic and photonic realms." said Imran Ahmed, CEO of StarIC. "This partnership underscores StarIC's commitment to advancing silicon photonics and empowering the next generation of applications. Our investment in the success of the GF Fotonix platform runs deep. It’s not just about IPs; it’s about providing solutions and building an ecosystem for companies who are building revolutionary technology. Together, we’ll illuminate new pathways."

"StarIC is a strategic partner for GF on our Fotonix platform,” said Ziv Hammer, Senior Vice President of Design Platforms and Services at GF. “The MRM driver and TIA IP blocks will help our customers accelerate their time to market with ultra-fast, ultra-efficient silicon photonics solutions.”

About StarIC

StarIC is a world-class provider of premium analog/mixed-signal semiconductor IP and custom ASIC solutions. StarIC has amassed an extensive library of silicon-proven IPs and design experience in many technology nodes and applications. StarIC has worked with customers and developed partnerships in a broad spectrum of applications. Based in Toronto, Canada the team is led by industry experts in the field of analog/mixed-signal design. For more information visit https://www.staric.ca/