STMicroelectronics Leads EU-Backed Starlight Project to Advance 300MM Silicon Photonics

Wedoany.com Report-Sept. 27, STMicroelectronics (ST) has launched STARLight, a new EU-supported semiconductor R&D and industrialisation initiative aimed at strengthening Europe’s leadership in silicon photonics technology. Selected under the EU CHIPS Joint Undertaking, the programme brings together a consortium of 24 leading technology companies and universities from 11 EU countries to develop scalable, application-ready silicon photonics solutions.

STARLight focuses on a unified 300mm silicon photonics platform, integrating advanced materials on a single wafer. This platform is designed to deliver higher modulation bandwidth, improved efficiency, and compact integration, enabling photonic components suitable for high-throughput applications. The project will develop photonic integrated circuits featuring integrated lasers and high-capacity modulators, targeting use cases in datacenters, AI clusters, telecommunications, and automotive markets.

The initiative emphasizes power-efficient, high-bandwidth systems tailored for volume manufacturing. STARLight aims to address power and density constraints in AI processors, data centre networking, and automotive sensing. By combining the high-yield capabilities of CMOS silicon with photonics’ ability to transmit data using light, the project seeks to enhance energy efficiency and accelerate data transfer for large-scale digital infrastructure.

STARLight is set to drive the first silicon photonics applications-based innovations for Europe’s industrial sectors, creating a full value chain that supports high-volume production of optical modules. From now until 2028, the consortium plans to develop application-driven solutions across datacenters, AI clusters, telecommunications, and automotive markets.

The project positions Europe as a leader in 300mm silicon photonics technology, fostering innovation, industrial collaboration, and advanced manufacturing capabilities. It also supports technologies such as LIDAR, space applications, and AI photonic processors, which require high-speed, energy-efficient optical interconnects.

Through STARLight, STMicroelectronics will coordinate efforts across industrial and academic partners, establishing a manufacturing line capable of delivering high-performance, energy-efficient silicon photonics components. This effort will underpin Europe’s competitive edge in next-generation optical technologies, enabling scalable deployment in data-intensive and high-performance computing environments.

STARLight reflects ST’s strategic commitment to the development of photonics as a core enabler for AI, telecommunications, and automotive applications. By integrating lasers, modulators, and optical circuits on 300mm wafers, the project will provide European industries with advanced solutions that combine high performance, power efficiency, and mass-production readiness.

In summary, STARLight is a major step in Europe’s push for technological independence in semiconductor innovation. The initiative brings together top industrial and academic partners, leverages EU support, and sets ambitious targets to develop next-generation silicon photonics platforms and application-ready modules by 2028.