OFC 2025: Scintil Photonics debuts LEAF LightTM laser

Scintil’s compact DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing) remote light source with the most precise wavelength spacing, is a vital component within the emerging co-packaged DWDM architecture that addresses the challenges for scalable AI datacenters.

As copper cables hit their limit in speed and reach for AI interconnects, DWDM co-packaged optics is emerging as the ultimate optical networking solution for AI data centres. Compared with legacy CWDM (coarse wavelength division multiplexing) implementation, DWDM will reduce latency, boost power efficiency, increase bandwidth density and enable up to two terabits per second (Tbps) in a single fibre.

“Scintil Photonics is delighted to showcase LEAF Light for the first time to international attendees at OFC. LEAF Light is the only single-chip solution that can meet all the system requirements at an acceptable size and cost for the emerging co-packaged DWDM architecture that requires the finest, high-precision multi-wavelength light source to efficiently transmit data,” said Matt Crowley, CEO at Scintil Photonics. “Our aim is to closely align volumes of LEAF Light with the growth in the XPU accelerator market, expected to reach $600 billion in 2030 with about 35 million AI accelerators. We are sampling a limited number of select customers later this year, with broader availability of our external laser small form-factor pluggable (ELSFP) engineering samples in 2026.”

LEAF Light is manufactured with Scintil’s proprietary SHIP (Scintil Heterogeneous Integrated Photonics) process technology. This silicon photonics process integrates III-V and other materials into the standard silicon photonics process flows now available from commercial foundries. Our process compatibility with standard silicon photonics fabs and wafer-scale manufacturing gives LEAF Light the capability to scale to tens of millions of units per year and beyond.

“In close collaboration with customers, we have developed a single chip light source solution, featuring eight to 16 multiplexed lasers with 200GHz or 100GHz frequency spacing, respectively,” said Sylvie Menezo, Founder and CTO of Scintil Photonics. “In addition, we have developed the control electronics and the optical packaging to fit into an ELSFP.”

Scintil Photonics will exhibit LEAF Light at OFC, the Moscone Center, San Francisco (CA), at booth 6357, 1-3rd April. OFC is a global event dedicated to optical networking and communications, where Sylvie Menezo is also invited to discuss light sources for co-packaged optics switches and XPU systems at the Technical Conference:

• ‘High Power and Multi-Wavelength Laser Light Sources: How Can They Address the Needs of AI/ML Interconnects’ workshop – 30th March, 1pm – 3.30pm
• ‘Advanced Packaging and Integrated Optics for Scale-Up AI Interconnects’ symposium –2nd April, 2pm – 6.30pm PDT