TSMC Ventures into Silicon Photonics, introduces 12.8 Tbps COUPE On-Package Interconnect Roadmap

Optical connectivity, particularly silicon photonics, is poised to become a Crucial Technology for next-generation datacenters, especially those designed for high-performance computing (HPC) applications. As system performance continues to scale and bandwidth requirements increase, relying solely on copper signaling will no longer suffice. In response, various companies, including TSMC, a leading fab provider, are developing silicon photonics solutions.

During its recent 2024 North American Technology Symposium, TSMC launched its 3D Optical Engine roadmap, outlining its plan to introduce up to 12.8 Tbps optical connectivity to processors manufactured by TSMC. The company’s Compact Universal Photonic Engine (COUPE) utilizes its SoIC-X packaging technology to stack an electronics integrated circuit on a photonic integrated circuit (EIC-on-PIC). TSMC claims that this approach offers the lowest impedance at the die-to-die interface, resulting in higher energy efficiency. The EIC itself is produced using a 65nm-class process technology.

TSMC’s first-generation COUPE will be integrated into an OSFP pluggable device with a transfer rate of 1.6 Tbps. This speed surpasses the current copper Ethernet standards, which cap at 800 Gbps, highlighting the immediate bandwidth advantage of optical interconnects for heavily-networked compute clusters. Additionally, optical interconnections are expected to deliver power savings.

Looking ahead, the second generation of COUPE is designed to integrate into CoWoS packaging as co-packaged optics with a switch, enabling optical interconnections at the motherboard level. This version of COUPE will support data transfer rates of up to 6.40 Tbps and offer reduced Latency compared to the initial version.

TSMC’s third iteration of COUPE, known as COUPE-on-CoWoS, aims to further enhance performance by increasing transfer rates to 12.8 Tbps and bringing optical connectivity even closer to the processor. Currently, COUPE-on-CoWoS is in the pathfinding stage of development, and TSMC has not yet set a target date for its release.

Unlike its industry peers, TSMC has not previously participated in the silicon photonics market, leaving that space to companies like GlobalFoundries. However, with its 3D Optical Engine Strategy, TSMC is entering this important market and striving to catch up with lost time.

Background Information

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About Crucial Technology: Crucial Technology, founded in 1996, is a leading manufacturer of computer memory and storage solutions. They are known for producing a wide range of products, including solid-state drives (SSDs), RAM modules, and portable storage devices. Crucial's products are designed to enhance the performance and speed of computers, whether it's upgrading an older system or improving the capabilities of a new one.

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About GlobalFoundries: GlobalFoundries is a semiconductor manufacturing company founded in 2009 by Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). Headquartered in Santa Clara, California, with major manufacturing facilities in the United States, Germany, and Singapore, GlobalFoundries has established itself as one of the leading players in the global semiconductor industry. With a focus on providing innovative solutions for a wide range of applications including mobile, automotive, and IoT devices.

  

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About TSMC: TSMC, or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, is a semiconductor foundry based in Taiwan. Established in 1987, TSMC is a important player in the global semiconductor industry, specializing in the manufacturing of semiconductor wafers for a wide range of clients, including technology companies and chip designers. The company is known for its semiconductor fabrication processes and plays a critical role in advancing semiconductor technology worldwide.

  

Technology Explained

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CoWoS: CoWoS, or Chip-on-Wafer-on-Substrate, is a recent advancement in chip packaging that allows for more powerful processors in a compact size. This technology stacks multiple chips on a silicon interposer, enabling denser connections and improved performance. Developed for high-performance computing, CoWoS promises faster processing, lower power consumption, and the ability to pack more processing power into smaller devices.

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HPC: HPC, or High Performance Computing, is a type of technology that allows computers to perform complex calculations and process large amounts of data at incredibly high speeds. This is achieved through the use of specialized hardware and software, such as supercomputers and parallel processing techniques. In the computer industry, HPC has a wide range of applications, from weather forecasting and scientific research to financial modeling and artificial intelligence. It enables researchers and businesses to tackle complex problems and analyze vast amounts of data in a fraction of the time it would take with traditional computing methods. HPC has revolutionized the way we approach data analysis and has opened up new possibilities for innovation and discovery in various fields.

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Latency: Technology latency is the time it takes for a computer system to respond to a request. It is an important factor in the performance of computer systems, as it affects the speed and efficiency of data processing. In the computer industry, latency is a major factor in the performance of computer networks, storage systems, and other computer systems. Low latency is essential for applications that require fast response times, such as online gaming, streaming media, and real-time data processing. High latency can cause delays in data processing, resulting in slow response times and poor performance. To reduce latency, computer systems use various techniques such as caching, load balancing, and parallel processing. By reducing latency, computer systems can provide faster response times and improved performance.