NLM Photonics Initiates Sampling of 1.6T and 3.2T Silicon Organic Hybrid PICs

Key Takeaways

• 1.6T SOH PIC 40% smaller than conventional
• Delivers 200 Gb/s per lane with lower drive voltage
• 3.2T PIC achieves 110 GHz+ bandwidth in same footprint
• Uses patented Selerion‑HTX organic electro‑optic material
• Sampling begins for select customers at OFC 2026

Summary

NLM Photonics announced that its 1.6‑terabit (1.6T) and 3.2‑terabit (3.2T) silicon‑organic hybrid (SOH) photonic integrated circuits are now in sampling for select customers, with live demos at OFC 2026. The 1.6T DR8 PIC, built on the company’s patented Selerion‑HTX organic material, is 40% smaller than conventional silicon PICs and delivers 200 Gb/s per lane with lower drive voltage and higher extinction ratios. The 3.2T version achieves over 110 GHz bandwidth within the same footprint, both fabricated on AMF’s 200 mm O‑band platform. NLM will host private and open‑house demonstrations throughout the conference.

Pulse Analysis

Silicon photonics has become the workhorse of data‑center interconnects, but its intrinsic bandwidth and power‑efficiency ceilings are straining under the surge of AI‑driven workloads. NLM Photonics tackles this bottleneck by marrying silicon’s mature foundry ecosystem with a high‑performance organic electro‑optic polymer, Selerion‑HTX. This hybrid approach sidesteps the carrier‑depletion limits of pure silicon, delivering an order‑of‑magnitude improvement in modulation efficiency while preserving the scalability of standard CMOS‑compatible processes.

The newly sampled 1.6T and 3.2T SOH PICs showcase tangible gains. The 1.6T DR8 module is 40% more compact than legacy silicon designs and pushes 200 Gb/s per lane with markedly reduced drive voltage, translating to lower power draw and higher extinction ratios. Meanwhile, the 3.2T variant reaches beyond 110 GHz bandwidth without expanding its footprint, a feat enabled by the ultra‑fast response of the organic material. Both chips are fabricated on Advanced Micro Foundry’s 200 mm O‑band silicon platform, ensuring they can be integrated into existing manufacturing lines.

For the broader market, these advances signal a shift toward energy‑efficient, high‑density photonic links that can keep pace with next‑generation AI accelerators and quantum networking nodes. By offering a sampling program at OFC 2026, NLM is positioning its technology for rapid adoption, promising data‑center operators a path to scale beyond the current silicon ceiling while maintaining volume‑production economics. The convergence of higher bandwidth, reduced power consumption, and manufacturability could redefine interconnect strategies across the AI and datacom ecosystems.