SCINTIL LEAF Light DWDM Laser Source for AI Optics

SCINTIL Photonics is a photonics company headquartered in Grenoble, France, with operations across North America, that originated from the CEA-Leti research institute. It develops dense multi-wavelength (DWDM) laser sources for AI data centres, where moving data between GPUs is limited by power and bandwidth.

Its SHIP (Scintil Heterogeneous Integrated Photonics) process integrates active lasers onto standard silicon photonics wafers and has been validated on Tower Semiconductor's production lines. The flagship LEAF Light is a single-chip DWDM laser source for co-packaged optics and scale-up GPU networks, offering 8 or 16 wavelengths on 100 GHz or 200 GHz grids. An evaluation kit with two laser optical sub-assemblies and on-chip wavelength monitoring is available to qualified customers. Target customers are hyperscalers and builders of AI networking hardware.

• LEAF Light: single-chip DWDM laser source for co-packaged optics.
• SHIP process: lasers heterogeneously integrated on standard silicon photonics wafers.
• Configurable grid: 8 or 16 wavelengths on 100 GHz or 200 GHz spacing.
• WaveGuard: on-chip frequency monitoring and trimming.
• Telemetry: real-time power and temperature monitoring per wavelength.
• Evaluation kit: two LOSAs, 8 fibres and USB control for early access customers.

Optical module and OSAT companies in Vietnam can co-develop CPO light engines using LEAF Light through early access. Data centre operators can benchmark DWDM-based interconnects for future GPU clusters. Universities and chip design firms can use the evaluation kit for photonics research and training.

A single chip provides many wavelengths, scaling fibre capacity without more fibres or higher baud rates. The company targets about 50% lower power than single-wavelength co-packaged optics. Production on Tower Semiconductor's silicon photonics lines gives a path to volume supply. On-chip feedback keeps wavelength precision and power uniform without manual tuning.

AI training clusters are moving from copper to optical interconnects, and co-packaged optics is becoming the main path to cut power per bit. DWDM lets each fibre carry more data without adding fibres. New AI data centres in Southeast Asia, including Vietnam and Malaysia, will depend on this optical supply chain.

Headquartered in Grenoble, France; originates from CEA-Leti. Raised a $58 million (€50 million) Series B in September 2025 led by Yotta Capital Partners and NGP Capital with NVIDIA, BNP Paribas Développement, Bpifrance, Bosch Ventures and others. Manufacturing partner Tower Semiconductor. Part of the Bpifrance-funded CanopAI project with Presto Engineering and CEA-Leti (2026).