UC Berkeley Unveils Zero-Change Foundry-Compatible Silicon Photonics MEMS Switch
jwt0625 · x · 2026-08-08
Core Innovation
A UC Berkeley team introduced a zero-change foundry-compatible silicon photonics MEMS optical switch. It uses standard BEOL metal layers for actuation, requiring no modifications to existing commercial foundry processes.
Performance Metrics
- Low Loss & High Extinction: Operates in the C-band with >30 dB extinction ratio and <1.5 dB insertion loss.
- Ultra-low Power: Requires only tens of volts for switching, with a static power consumption of approx 20 nW.
Implications
As AI/ML clusters demand high-bandwidth, low-latency interconnects, large-scale photonic switches are becoming critical for energy-efficient data centers. This solution seamlessly integrates with standard silicon photonics, drastically reducing energy consumption while maintaining top-tier performance.
Related event: UC Berkeley Unveils Zero-Change Silicon Photonic MEMS Switch(2 posts)→
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