Coherent unveils new high-efficiency lasers for SiPh transceivers…

29 Aug 2024

…and onsemi launches power modules to boost solar power generation and storage.

Laser and materials giant Coherent has announced the launch of high-efficiency, continuous wave distributed feedback lasers. The manufacturer comments, “Specifically engineered for silicon photonics (SiPh) transceiver modules, this laser family represents a leap forward in indium phosphide laser technology.”

Designed to operate in the O-band (1310 nm region), the lasers are said to redefine the capabilities of silicon photonics modulators used in 800G and 1.6T optical transceivers. These transceivers are critical for data transmission technology, addressing the growing bandwidth demands arising from the rapid adoption of machine learning networks within AI-driven data centers.

Greater power efficiency

Featuring a proprietary low series-resistance design, the lasers achieve approximately 15% greater power efficiency compared with the current industry standard, says Coherent. This breakthrough addresses the critical demand for reduced power consumption in SiPh transceivers, providing users with a clear edge in operational efficiency.

Dr. Kou-Wei Wang, Vice President of InP Directly Modulated Lasers & Photodiodes, commented, “By lowering power consumption, we’re addressing one of the most pressing challenges faced by our customers today. And with our upcoming expansion to a 6 in InP fab in Sherman, Texas, by 2026, we expect production capacity to be five times our current production rate.”

The first offering in the new laser family is a 70 mW 1310 nm laser, designed for uncooled, non-hermetic operation up to an 85 °C junction temperature. Commercial shipments of this laser begin in September 2024. Coherent added that it will release a higher-power laser for cooled operations, along with lasers tailored for the CWDM grid, in 2025.

onsemi launches power modules to boost solar power generation

US-based semiconductor supplier onsemi has released its latest generation silicon and silicon carbide hybrid power integrated modules in an F5BP package, specified to boost the power output of utility-scale solar string inverters or energy storage system applications.

The Scottsdale, Arizona firm says that “compared to previous generations, the modules offer increased power density and higher efficiencies within the same footprint to increase the total system power of a solar inverter from 300 kW up to 350 kW.”

onsemi stated: “this means a 1 GW capacity utility-scale solar farm using the latest generation modules can achieve an energy savings of 2 MW per hour or the equivalent of powering more than 700 homes per year. Additionally, fewer modules are required to achieve the same power threshold as the previous generation, which can reduce power device component costs by more than 25%”.

With solar power having achieved the lowest levelized cost of energy, it is increasingly becoming the go-to source for renewable power generation around the world. To compensate for solar power’s variability, utility operators are also adding large-scale battery energy storage systems to ensure a stable energy flow to the grid.

To support this combination of systems, manufacturers and utilities require solutions that offer maximum efficiency and reliable power conversion. Every 0.1% of efficiency improvement can equate to a quarter of a million dollars in annual operational savings for every 1 GW of installed capacity.

“As a variable energy source dependent on sunlight, continual advances in increasing system efficiencies, reliability and advanced storage solutions are needed to be able to maintain the stability and reliability of global grids during peak and off-peak power demand,” said Sravan Vanaparthy, VP, Industrial Power Division, at onsemi.