Keysight Technologies introduces the new NX5402A silicon photonics test system that integrates Keysight PathWave Semiconductor Test software technology (part of Keysight PathWave Test Software). This enables semiconductor manufacturers to accelerate the production of silicon photonics wafers with stable and reproducible test functions. The solution enables a fast start of volume production with stability and reproducibility.
Silicon photonics is one of the most important emerging technologies to cope with the growing Internet traffic and the demand for higher data rates. It is primarily used in the data center, especially in big data and cloud applications, but also in other areas such as healthcare, light detection and ranging in the automotive industry (LiDAR), optical computing and quantum computing.
According to a recent market research report by Yole Développement, the total market for this technology will reach $3.9 billion in 2025. As a result, many manufacturers are considering the use of silicon photonics. However, to date there is no commercially available test equipment for the mass production of this technology using fully automated wafer probers. In addition, silicon photonics testing requires a large number of precise measurements. Companies and system integrators rely on system optimization and maintenance, as communication with multiple vendors is complex and inefficient.
