Skip to main content
Molex TeraLIGHT Detachable Silicon Photonic Connector plugged into a modular circuit board.

TeraLIGHT Detachable Silicon Photonics Connectors

The TeraLIGHT system is a detachable, serviceable fiber-to-chip connectivity platform that enables scalable optical connections between single-mode and polarization-maintaining fibers and silicon photonics integrated circuits (PIC) that use an expanded, collimated beam. Designed for co-packaged optics (CPO) applications, the TeraLIGHT system helps customers increase bandwidth density and improve manufacturability. It also helps customers accelerate deployment of next-generation AI, hyperscale and high-performance computing infrastructure.

Contact Us
Fiber Type Optical Coupling Density Serviceability
SM and PM Surface coupling to an expanded, collimated beam from PIC Up to 50 fibers at 127µm pitch. Several Photonic-Plugs can be connected to a single PIC using a modular socket design.
 Post-reflow fiber connectivity through a serviceable, detachable Photonic-Plug

Features and Benefits

As AI, hyperscale and high-performance computing systems continue to scale, connecting increasing numbers of high-density optical fibers to silicon photonics chips presents a growing challenge. Precise alignment requirements increase manufacturing complexity and cost, while traditional fiber attachment methods create bottlenecks that limit scalability and production yield. Many existing optical solutions use permanently attached fiber assemblies, making repair, replacement or rework difficult when a fiber connection fails.

To overcome optical connectivity challenges, customers need solutions that simplify fiber-to-chip assembly and support semiconductor-scale manufacturing. TeraLIGHT enables passive alignment between the Photonic-Plug and PIC, eliminating the need for active alignment and helping reduce assembly complexity and cost. Its high-density, detachable architecture also supports post-reflow fiber attachment and serviceability.

The TeraLIGHT silicon photonics connector addresses these challenges with expanded collimated beam optical coupling that uses passive alignment to reduce manufacturing complexity, lower assembly cost, improve repeatability and accelerate deployment. The TeraLIGHT system incorporates wafer-level fabricated optical elements that support semiconductor high-volume manufacturing (HVM) and is also compatible with advanced 2.5/3D packaging flows. This enables volume production with improved yield, consistent quality and higher manufacturing efficiency. The detachable, serviceable Photonic-Plug, which enables post-reflow fiber attachment, greatly simplifies CPO manufacturing, increasing manufacturing yield and throughput, and helps push down manufacturing costs.

Passive Self-Alignment at Scale

Active-alignment assembly can be costly, complex and difficult to scale. TeraLIGHT Connectors use expanded, collimated-beam optical coupling and passive self-alignment, simplifying assembly and improving manufacturing scalability.

Exploded view of Molex TeraLIGHT assembly.

Detachable Serviceable Fiber Interface

The detachable Photonic-Plug and mechanical-socket architecture allows fiber attachment after reflow while supporting serviceability. This approach helps reduce manufacturing risk and improves the maintainability of CPO systems and the server’s lifetime.

Molex TeraLIGHT Detachable Silicon Photonics Connector.

Semiconductor-Scale, Wafer-Level Manufacturing

Silicon photonics manufacturers need optical connectivity solutions that can scale with semiconductor production methods. TeraLIGHT silicon photonics connectors are optimized for HVM and advanced 2.5/3D packaging flows, helping support volume production with improved yield, quality and manufacturing efficiency.

Angled view of a thin, rectangular Molex TeraLIGHT device.

Density and Scalability

Provides high PIC shoreline density
The high fiber density with up to 50 fibers at 127µm pitch, and support for dense wavelength division multiplexing helps provide greater I/O capacity without increasing the package footprint.

Provides flexibility between the socket, PIC and detachable photonic plugs
The modular scalable architecture supports 1:N optical connectivity designs that scale with increasing PIC complexity and channel density, enabling simplified integration and more scalable paths for optical connectivity.

Applications by Industry

This is not a definitive list of applications for this product. It represents some of the more common uses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are TeraLIGHT Detachable Connectors?

The TeraLIGHT Detachable Optical Chiplet Connector is a high-density, detachable and serviceable fiber connector platform engineered for scalable coupling of SM and PM optical fibers to PICs using expanded, collimated beams.

What fiber types do TeraLIGHT connectors support?

The TeraLIGHT system supports both SM and PM fibers.

What is the shoreline density of TeraLIGHT silicon photonics connectors? 

TeraLIGHT connectors support up to 50 fibers at a 127µm pitch.

What are TeraLIGHT optical connectors used for in silicon photonics applications?

Designed to create scalable optical connections between optical fibers and PIC chips, TeraLIGHT optical connectors enable reliable, high-density fiber-to-chip connectivity for near-package optics, CPO, AI infrastructure, hyperscale data centers and high-performance computing applications.

How does passive self-alignment in the TeraLIGHT system improve optical assembly compared to active alignment?

Unlike active alignment, which requires continuous optical monitoring and adjustment during assembly, the TeraLIGHT system uses passive self-alignment which simplifies manufacturing and supports scalable, high-volume production.