fJscaler Announces Sampling of Breakthrough 100 GHz BiCMOS TIA for Next-Generation AI and Cloud Datacenter Optical Interconnects

Company also unveils new Photonic IC product family targeting 1.6T coherent-lite and IM-DD applications

MÁLAGA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--fJscaler, Inc., an innovator in high-performance analog and photonic semiconductors for optical interconnects, today announced at ECOC 2026 that it has begun sampling to strategic customers its BiCMOS transimpedance amplifier (TIA) for intensity-modulation direct-detection (IM-DD) applications. Designed for next-generation optical interconnects powering AI and cloud datacenters, the device delivers an unprecedented combination of energy efficiency, sensitivity, and speed.

As AI clusters scale to hundreds of thousands of accelerators, the power consumed by optical interconnects has become a first-order constraint on datacenter design. The new TIA achieves a power efficiency of 0.85 pJ/bit, an input-referred noise density of just 18 pA/√Hz, and a bandwidth of 100 GHz. These results redefine the performance envelope for direct-detect receiver front-ends. The device is also optimized for operation with a back-illuminated InP photodiode, and a next-generation version is in development targeting silicon photonics receivers. By pushing receiver energy below one picojoule per bit while extending bandwidth to 100 GHz, fJscaler's TIA enables 200G-per-lane and beyond serial links with the sensitivity headroom needed for low-power, unretimed, and linear-drive architectures.

"The economics of AI infrastructure are now written in picojoules per bit," said Jan Filip Chief Executive Officer of fJscaler. "Every fraction of a picojoule we remove from the optical link translates directly into more compute per watt and per dollar for our customers. With this TIA sampling to strategic customers today, we are giving module and system makers a receiver front-end that supports the 1.6T and 3.2T generations of optical interconnects without compromising on sensitivity or power. This is exactly the kind of leap the industry needs to keep scaling AI clusters sustainably."

"Reaching 100 GHz of bandwidth at 0.85 pJ/bit, with noise as low as 18 pA/√Hz, required rethinking the receiver front-end from the ground up," said Marco Vitali, Chief Technology Officer of fJscaler. "Our BiCMOS platform lets us combine the raw speed of SiGe with the integration density of CMOS, and pairing the TIA with a back-illuminated InP photodiode minimizes parasitics right at the optical-electrical interface. The result is a receiver that preserves signal integrity at 200G per lane and beyond, with the dynamic range and linearity that linear pluggable optics and co-packaged architectures demand. Our next generation extends the same architecture to silicon photonics receivers, opening the path to fully integrated, high-volume solutions."

New Photonic IC products for 1.6T coherent-lite and IM-DD

fJscaler also announced today a new family of Photonic IC (PIC) products targeting 1.6T coherent-lite and IM-DD applications. The new PICs complement fJscaler's electronic IC portfolio, enabling tightly co-designed optical engines for the next wave of datacenter interconnects — from intra-datacenter IM-DD links to campus and inter-datacenter reaches where coherent-lite technology offers the optimal balance of performance, power, and cost.

"AI and cloud datacenters are driving an insatiable demand for bandwidth, and no single modulation approach covers every reach and cost point," said Samir Desai, Senior Vice President at fJscaler. "By offering photonic ICs for both 1.6T coherent-lite and IM-DD alongside our world-class analog electronics, we give our customers a complete, co-optimized toolkit. Coherent-lite extends the reach and resilience of datacenter interconnects at a fraction of the power and cost of full coherent, while our IM-DD PICs push density and efficiency inside the datacenter. Together, these products position fJscaler at the heart of the AI and datacenter buildout for years to come."

Availability

The 100 GHz BiCMOS TIA is sampling now to strategic customers. The company's new Photonic IC products for 1.6T coherent-lite and IM-DD applications will be showcased at ECOC 2026, held at FYCMA in Málaga, Spain, 21–23 September 2026.

For more information on fJscaler, its BiCMOS transimpedance amplifier and new Photonics IC product family, please visit: https://www.fjscaler.com/.

About fJscaler

fJscaler develops high-performance analog and photonic semiconductors that push optical interconnects toward femtojoule-per-bit efficiency. Serving the AI, cloud datacenter, and telecommunications markets, fJscaler combines advanced BiCMOS electronics with photonic integration to deliver the speed, sensitivity, and energy efficiency that next-generation networks demand. To learn more, visit: https://www.fjscaler.com/.

fJscaler and the fJscaler logo are trademarks of fJscaler. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.