Nvidia Integrates Silicon Photonics in Upcoming Rubin Ultra Platform for AI Infrastructure
Nvidia's Rubin Ultra platform is set to launch with silicon photonics (SiPh) technology, advancing to 800G and 1.6T high-speed interconnects. This marks a significant shift in the adoption of silicon photonics, moving from niche applications to standard architecture in AI data centers.
Richard Soref, who pioneered silicon photonics research four decades ago, lost funding in mid-2025 but continues to advocate for its potential in reducing data center power consumption. The pluggable optics market is projected to grow from $7 billion in 2024 to over $24 billion by 2030, with silicon photonics transceivers' market share expected to double.
STMicroelectronics will ramp up production of new silicon photonics technologies in collaboration with Amazon Web Services in Europe, enhancing supply chain resilience. Nvidia's developments in SiPh signal major growth opportunities in the optical supply chain as the demand for AI infrastructure increases.
