Light Replaces Copper
shrigma.base.eth@shrigmuh
−4.1%
since Oct 16
The idea
I believe light eventually replaces copper for moving data inside AI data centers, starting rack to rack and eventually onto the chip package itself. Rather than own the chipmakers, this take owns the picks and shovels of that shift: fiber and optical systems suppliers, laser and optical engine makers, and the foundries and materials behind photonic chips, with a small sleeve of long shot bets on light doing the computing itself.
What it owns
- Light needs glass to travel through, factories to assemble the optics, and gear to test it, whoever wins the chip race. · Corning Inc.It makes the glass fiber and connectors every optical link runs on, so expansion of light-based infrastructure inside data centers drives its growth., Ciena CorporationIt sells optical systems linking data centers to each other, and demand from AI infrastructure is expanding its addressable market., FabrinetIt assembles lasers, transceivers and optical modules for other companies, so it benefits from optical buildout regardless of which component makers lead., Viavi SolutionsIt makes test equipment for fiber and optical links, so every new optical buildout in data centers drives demand for its tools.30%
- Every light-based link starts with a laser, and these companies make the ones going into AI data centers. · Coherent Corp.It makes lasers, transceivers and indium phosphide parts for optical links, and its co-packaged optics partnership creates a path to growing orders as light moves closer to the chip., Lumentum HoldingsIt makes lasers that push data through fiber in AI data centers and remains a main laser supplier as light architecture evolves toward the chip package., Applied OptoelectronicsIt builds lasers and transceivers for major cloud companies as a smaller competitor to established optical suppliers in the AI data center space.25%
- Photonic chips are built in specialty fabs on special materials, and those few suppliers are the bottleneck as volumes grow. · Tower SemiconductorIt operates a contract fab specializing in silicon photonics, building light-based chips for transceiver companies as that segment scales., GlobalFoundriesIt operates US fabs making silicon photonics chips, and government backing supports capacity growth for AI data center customers adopting light-based components., AXT Inc.It manufactures indium phosphide wafers that serve as the foundation for high-speed laser production, making it critical to the photonic supply chain as long as laser makers continue purchasing in volume.24%
- Small companies betting on new photonic chips and materials that could pay off big if light moves onto the chip, or fail. · Lightwave LogicIt is developing polymer-based optical modulators designed to switch light faster and with less power than conventional materials., POET TechnologiesIt is building an optical interposer that lets lasers and chips sit together on one package, pursuing a different assembly approach for integrated optics., Quantum Computing Inc.It operates a thin-film lithium niobate foundry making photonic chips from a material used in very fast optical switches., Aeluma Inc.It grows laser-grade materials on large silicon wafers to enable cheaper production of photonic chips at scale.11%
- Cash10%