Japan backs NTT-led optical chiplet factory with $283M

A five-company Japanese consortium led by NTT won NEDO backing and about ¥45.2 billion ($283 million) in METI subsidies to build mass production of optical chiplets. The PEC-3 technology replaces copper links between AI chips with light to cut interconnect power, with production samples targeted for 2028.

• METI allocated about ¥45.2 billion ($283 million) under the NEDO Post-5G program
• The PEC-3 chiplet packs 16 InP lasers onto a 1.11 × 2.75 mm substrate
• The project targets a more than tenfold gain in manufacturing productivity
• Production samples of the optical chiplets are targeted for 2028