PlayNitride announced a strategic collaboration with Brillink to develop a next-generation microLED-based array-based photonic interconnect solution designed to deliver longer reach, lower power consumption, and superior bandwidth density for high-performance computing and AI systems.
PlayNitride will contribute its high-efficiency green MicroLED emitters, The company says that its green emitters enable longer reach, lower power consumption, and more stable performance compared to blue MicroLED emitters—which suffer from higher optical loss and stronger chromatic dispersion in standard optical fibers—creating a more efficient platform for short-reach interconnects.
Brillink, established in 2025 and supported by leading semiconductor and photonics innovators Alchip and Artilux, will integrate PlayNitride's green MicroLEDs with an ultra-sensitive GeSi APD array using its proprietary meta-optics and 2D Array Vertical Coupling (2D-AVC) platform. The company say that the required emitter power to close the link is drastically reduced with the GeSi APD, the scalability into higher per-channel data rates can further reduce the channel count, resulting in higher bandwidth density (Tbps/mm²), simplified module architecture, and lower overall system cost.
PlayNitride is building a complete supply chain for microLED production, from epiwafer production through chip processing, transfer process and more. In 2023 AUO announced a $21.5 million agreement with PlayNitride to build a 6-inch microLED production line at AUO's Longtan factory. Earlier in 2023, PlayNitride said that it is increasing its production volume to 10,000 6" wafers per month.
PlayNitride is developing a wide range of displays: tiled large-area displays (PixeLED Matrix), wearable panels, microdisplays, transparent displays, and more. In 2022, PlayNitride started to sample microLED panels for over 5 potential automotive customers.
Disclosure: the author of this post holds shares in PlayNitride
