Intel, once the trailblazer in silicon photonics, is now showing a drop in innovation output. Meanwhile, TSMC is making aggressive moves forward in this crucial technology.
Intel used to dominate patent filings and early R&D. Now, the company trails behind in the race to harness Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) and other next-gen semiconductor breakthroughs that could help break through AI performance bottlenecks.
This shift isn’t just about technology. It’s a broader shake-up in the semiconductor industry’s competitive order.
The Changing Balance of Power in Silicon Photonics
From 2015 to 2022, Intel led the way in semiconductor innovation, filing over 2,500 patents each year. That momentum faded in 2023, when Intel’s filings dropped to 2,263, according to Patentfield data.
During that same time, TSMC and Samsung ramped up their IP activity. They’re clearly making a deliberate push into this high-value space.
TSMC Pulls Ahead in Core Patents
By 2024, TSMC had filed 50 U.S. patents in core silicon photonics—almost double Intel’s 26 filings. Just a year before, the two companies were neck and neck in this area.
Patent volume isn’t just a vanity metric. It often hints at future product readiness, and TSMC’s surge suggests it’s on a fast track to commercialization.
From Research to Production: Diverging Strategies
There’s a clear difference in how each company approaches Co-Packaged Optics. TSMC plans to start mass-producing semiconductors with CPO by 2026, which is a pretty bold timeline.
Intel, on the other hand, is still in the R&D phase and hasn’t announced any near-term production plans.
Intel Shifts Focus Away from Advanced Foundry Services
Intel’s slowdown in silicon photonics mirrors a broader shift in its strategy. The company has pulled back on advanced foundry services and is now focusing more on licensing its glass substrate technology.
That might open up some niche revenue, but honestly, it could mean giving up leadership in the most transformative areas of semiconductor innovation.
Breaking AI Performance Barriers
Industry experts usually point to three big technologies for getting past AI performance limits:
- 3DIC integration
- Chiplet architectures
- Co-Packaged Optics (CPO)
These help cut latency, boost bandwidth, and improve efficiency. All are vital for scaling up AI workloads.
TSMC is pouring resources into all three, using its packaging and process know-how to turn prototypes into real products faster than most competitors.
The COUPE Engine: TSMC’s Photonic Powerhouse
One example of TSMC’s momentum is its COUPE engine, which packs 220 million transistors and 1,000 optical components into three layers. This hybrid design blends 6nm electronics with 65nm photonics, unlocking some wild performance gains.
TSMC is also merging CPO with its advanced CoWoS and SoIC packaging platforms. That sets the stage for the 1.6-terabit optical era, possibly as soon as late 2025.
Aligning With AI Ecosystem Leaders
TSMC’s moves line up with the strategies of top AI ecosystem players like NVIDIA. By complementing launches like NVIDIA’s Spectrum-X and Quantum-X photonics switches, TSMC is carving out a spot right where hardware meets AI infrastructure demand.
That kind of synergy could very well cement its position as a new leader in an industry where speed and scalability are everything.
A Redefinition of Leadership in the AI Era
The rapid advances by TSMC mark more than just a changing of the guard in silicon photonics. We’re seeing a real shift in how semiconductor innovation happens.
Intel used to set the pace, but now TSMC’s calling the shots. They’ve got a strong patent pipeline, tight manufacturing schedules, and they’re teaming up with the biggest names in AI.
Over the next few years, the race for silicon photonics dominance will probably reshape the semiconductor industry. AI workloads keep ballooning, and whoever nails high-speed optical connectivity with advanced compute could end up steering the future of the digital world.
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Here is the source article for this story: [News] Intel Loses Silicon Photonics Lead to TSMC as Patent Filings Reportedly Plummet Since 2023