What is Silicon Photonics?

Every day, we rely on technologies that move huge amounts of information: the internet, cloud storage, smartphones, medical devices, and more. Traditionally, these systems use electricity, sending tiny particles called electrons through wires. But as our need for faster, more efficient technologies grows, electricity alone cannot keep up.

That’s where photonics comes in.

What is Photonics?

Photonics is the science and technology of light — how we generate it, control it, and use it. Instead of working with electrons (electricity), photonics works with photons (particles of light). It underpins much of modern life, from fibre-optic internet cables and smartphone cameras to medical imaging and laser technologies.

Silicon Photonics Explained

Silicon photonics combines the power of light with the world of silicon microchips. In simple terms, it uses light instead of electricity to move information around a chip.

Because silicon photonics chips are made using the same processes as standard electronic chips, they benefit from decades of manufacturing expertise and advanced equipment already used in the semiconductor industry. By bringing light and electronics together, silicon photonics makes it possible to create high-speed, energy-efficient, and cost-effective systems for transmitting, processing, and receiving data.

This technology is already reshaping the way data centres operate — helping them move information faster while using less energy. Looking ahead, silicon photonics will be critical in areas like AI data centres, where energy demand is rapidly increasing (as shown by recent collaborations between industry leaders such as Nvidia and TSMC).

Why It Matters

As the world’s demand for data and connectivity grows, silicon photonics offers a pathway to technologies that are faster, greener, and more scalable. By harnessing the power of light within the familiar framework of silicon chips, it is redefining what it means to build the next generation of digital systems.