PHOTONICS
ULTRA-LOW POWER PHOTONIC TENSOR CORE
Technical Approach
Innovation: a chip-scale, energy efficient (1fJ/op), reconfigurable, low latencytensor core, with roadmap to volume manufacturing
Enabling technology: novel non-volatile EO switch (FLOW) Ă photonic tensor core (PTC) w/ zero-power state maintenance
Enabled Capability: Near-zero-energy inference for imagery and/or RF signal classification
Impact: Deep learning classifiers and processing integrated into power-constrained UAS edge platforms for 10X longer duration passive surveillance capabilities
Additional impact in processing parallel linear operations such as DFT
Accomplishments/Demos:
- >72 hour state retention of new FLOW optical switch
- Emulated CNN demo of FLOW enabled PTC
- Rack mount chassis RF-in/RF-out to demo unit performance
- Hardware demo of PTC enabled CNN for image classification (by 10/23)

EXPECT FLOW ENABLED PTC ARCHITECTURES TO SUPPORT LOW
POWER & LATENCY COMPUTE FOR EDGE PLATFORMS

SWAP constraints in edge platforms allocate as little as 1% of sensor volume to processing resources and demand very low power operation.
Applications: UAS image processing energy reduction. Future: Ultra-low-power AI spaces (mobile, handset, commercial drone, etc.). Expand beyond image classification into RF, EW, spectrum optimization, and others.
FUTURE OF FLOW-BASED PHOTONIC TENSOR CORE
Edge AI Target Applications:
- EO/IR Image Classification
- Wideband RF Spectrum Sensing and Signal Classification
- Multi-modal EW & Spectrum Superiority
- Autonomous Navigation in Denied Areas
FLOW-based AI systems offer unparalleled operating bandwidth, latency, SNR, and power over electronics Significant power savings versus state-of-the-art optical neural networks, enabling UAS deployment.

Low-power optical processing hardware enhances capabilities in broad range of small form factor platforms
UAS processing energy reduction of 10X
- Offloading of processing
- Longer UAS durations
- Surveillance from increased distance
- Frees up processing capability for non-ML sensor processing
Vision: Full parallel system capability – tiled PTCs
- Low Latency
- Large instantaneous and operating bandwidth
- High SNR
- Low power
- Small SWAP
USING A SINGLE 9X9 PROTOTYPE TO DEMONSTRATE A CONVULUTIONAL
NETWORK FOR CLASSIFICATION OF SURVEILLANCE TARGETS


Modular network design using optical PTC hardware as building block for linear operations, nonlinear operations performed in digital domain.
- Examining direct implementation through generalized matrix multiplication and compression of large networks to accommodate small prototype core
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Modeling on MNIST data set suggests only a few percent reduction in classification when comparing PTC enabled CNN to all digital CNN.
Surveillance target classification evaluation in progress.
KEY DIFFERENTIATORS & COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

OPTIMIZED FOR ANALOG & SENSING SOLUTIONS
Platform & internal know-how provides a functioning bedrock for fast-prototyping
Fast transition from prototyping to volume production
Mature Technology Development from self-interference calculations and signal extraction

UNMATCHED FUNCTIONALITY PER CHIP
Innovatively pack high number of functional components onto each retical, resulting in a high performance, multi-use chips
Profound expertise resulting in ultra low loss (<0.4dB/m) & noise output

ENTERPRISE-GRADE PDK LIBRARY
Module-level process optimization at every step of the process
Built on standard Soitec SOIs for ease of production
Internal know-how out of Motorola and Intel fabs result in best-in-class foundry processes
ADVANCED 3D PHOTONICS PLATFORMS: SiN + c-SI
GXC Photonics combines high-performance Ultra Low Loss SiN waveguides with the rich capabilities of crystalline silicon in a monolithic platform enabling high fidelity applications

- Combines Si waveguide layer (2.2dB/cm) with an
ultra-low-loss Si3N4Â waveguide layer (0.016dB/cm) - GXC Platform when compared to Si3N4 -only
platforms:
- > 10X speed improvement (<25ÎĽsec)
- > 10X die size reduction (30ÎĽm bends)
- > 7X reduced power consumption (47mW @ VĎ€)
GXC PHOTONICS’ UNIQUE SOLUTION ADDRESSES GLOBAL PROBLEMS
PROBLEM

System OEMs must work with multiple agents to satisfy demands of products they wish
to commercialize

Wafer manufacturers take many months to deliver prototypes

Presented system designs are difficult to instantiate efficiently, cost effectively and within acceptable foundry yields

Few teams exist capable of designing & delivering photonic-based systems
GXC PHOTONICS SOLUTION

End-to-end turnkey system delivery at pace

Smaller, efficient, feature-rich units

Technology vertically integrated by a single provider

Rapid prototyping drives faster time-to-production
INTERNAL CAPABILITY PROVIDES CUSTOMERS WITH TURNKEY SOLUTION
Unrivalled Vertical Integration from Prototyping to Fab Transfer
PROCESS & DEVICE INNOVATION
- Defense-focused
- World-class product engineers & PIC designers
- Adaptable & tunable GXC Photonics Platform
- System specification
DESIGN & PIC MANUFACTURING
- Uniquely combine RF, Optics & Mechanical components
- Rapid prototyping in 8-12 weeks vs Industry 40-65 weeks
- Designed to accommodate efficient fab processes and high-yielding techniques
ADVANCED PACKAGING
- Multi-chip 3D packaging
- RF compatible
- Ultra low loss optical I/Os
- Low noise
- Optimized for linear & non-linear
elements
SYSTEM INTEGRATION & TESTING
- Validated transfer to production capability
- Formally scoped & validated by TSI Semi & SkyWater
- Skilled team capable of integrating entire modules with multiple
functionalities - Turnkey operation




- Ultra low loss waveguides
- Non-volatile optical switch (FLOW)
- Photonic wire bond
- High Q filters and delay lines
- Self interference cancellation
- Analog switches
- Optical neural net
GXC PHOTONICS’ BEST-IN-CLASS PRODUCTS FOR ZERO-FAULT-TOLERANCE MARKETS

DEFENSE

AVIATION

INDUSTRY 4.0

QUANTUM COMPUTING

AUTOMATED VEHICLES

BIOMEDICINE
APPLICATIONS IMPROVED BY GXC PHOTONICS
HIGH POWERED SENSING
Powered by: Compact High Q Ring Resonator


Biosensors

Test & Measurement

Positioning, Navigation and Timing Systems
SIGNAL PROCESSING, ANALOG COMMS & DATA COMPUTE
Powered by: Ultra Low-Loss Switchable Waveguide Platforms


Low-SWAP phased-array RADAR

Optical FIR filters & true time delays
