Tower Semiconductor and Scintil Photonics Announce Availability of World’s First Heterogeneously Integrated DWDM Lasers for AI Infrastructure
Rhea-AI Summary
Tower Semiconductor (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM) and Scintil Photonics announced availability of the world’s first heterogeneously integrated DWDM laser sources for AI infrastructure using Scintil’s SHIP™ platform.
Key points: LEAF Light™ is production-ready, validated on Tower’s silicon photonics lines, and positioned for high-volume hyperscale deployment with a multi-site manufacturing footprint and a stated path to "millions of units per month."
Positive
- First production-ready heterogeneously integrated DWDM laser source (LEAF Light™)
- Validated on production lines using Tower's silicon photonics platform
- Path to high-volume manufacturing with ‘millions of units per month’ capacity target
- Multi-site manufacturing footprint provides supply continuity for hyperscale deployment
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction
On the day this news was published, TSEM declined 0.75%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
TSEM is down 3.62% while most close peers are up (e.g., QRVO +2.03%, SITM +1.38%, SMTC +1.18%, MTSI +2.47%; only LSCC is down 1.52%). Momentum scanner shows just RMBS moving down. This points to a stock-specific move rather than a sector-wide semiconductor rotation.
Previous AI Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 05 | AI optics collaboration | Positive | +6.4% | NVIDIA collaboration on 1.6T data center optical modules using SiPho platform. |
| Nov 17 | AI power solution | Positive | -3.9% | Launch of SW2001 buck regulator for AI and server power systems. |
| Aug 25 | AI laser platform | Positive | +5.2% | On‑chip multi‑wavelength laser platform for AI datacenter fabrics. |
| Aug 12 | AI imaging chip | Positive | -0.5% | Cheetah HS AI‑in‑imager chip reaching up to 260K FPS for robotics and inspection. |
| Mar 12 | AI optical modulator | Positive | +4.1% | 400G/lane modulators on PH18DA for data center and AI connectivity. |
AI-tagged announcements often move the stock, with mixed direction: three prior AI releases saw positive reactions, while two produced negative moves despite constructive technology news.
Over the past year, Tower has issued multiple AI-focused releases linking its silicon photonics and power platforms to data center and accelerator markets. AI collaborations on 400G/lane modulators, multi-wavelength laser platforms, high‑speed AI‑in‑imager chips, and a 1.6T optical module with NVIDIA all underscored its role in AI infrastructure. Price reactions to these AI-tagged updates have averaged about 2.26% in magnitude, but with both rallies and selloffs, suggesting investors react selectively to technical and commercial details.
Historical Comparison
In the last five AI-tagged releases, TSEM moved an average of 2.26%. Today’s heterogeneously integrated DWDM laser launch continues the company’s pattern of AI datacenter optics and acceleration partnerships.
AI-tagged news shows a progression from 400G/lane modulators and multi-wavelength laser platforms to power management ICs, AI-in-imager sensors, and now heterogeneously integrated DWDM laser sources for hyperscale AI infrastructure.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights Tower’s push deeper into AI data center networking by pairing its silicon photonics platform with Scintil’s heterogeneously integrated DWDM lasers. It complements earlier AI optics milestones and follows record Q4 2025 revenue of $440 million and a $920 million SiPho and SiGe capacity program. Investors may watch for design wins, customer qualification progress, and how these DWDM CPO solutions tie into previously disclosed NVIDIA and datacenter optics collaborations.
Key Terms
dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technical
co-packaged optics (CPO) technical
silicon photonics technical
gpu technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Combined with Tower’s multi-site global footprint, Scintil’s unique SHIP™ platform is ready to take on the challenging requirements of the next generation Hyperscale AI Infrastructure
MIGDAL HAEMEK, Israel, and GRENOBLE, France, February 17, 2026 - Tower Semiconductor (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM), the leading foundry for high-value analog semiconductor solutions, and Scintil Photonics, the technology leader in Heterogeneous Integrated Photonics for next-generation AI infrastructure, today announced availability of the world’s first heterogeneously integrated Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) laser sources for AI infrastructure using Scintil’s SHIP™ (Scintil Heterogeneous Integrated Photonics) technology. SHIP™ leverages Tower’s high-volume silicon photonics platform and combines it with heterogeneous integration of monolithic laser sources, capable of meeting the most demanding DWDM technical requirements for AI.
DWDM lasers are an essential component of Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) based next generation of AI infrastructure that aims to deliver ever-growing bandwidth density, ultra-low tail latency, and lower energy per bit, while improving GPU utilization and hyperscaler ROI needed in the agentic AI era.
"The scale-up networking opportunity is about to increase significantly as these server interconnects move to multirack CPO. Scale-up networking will consume an increasing portion of AI Networking's
Scintil's SHIP™ technology has been validated on Tower's silicon photonics platform. LEAF Light™ is the industry's first DWDM-optimized, intelligent integrated laser source fabricated with SHIP™. Tower Semiconductor's multi-site silicon photonics manufacturing footprint provides resilient capacity and supply continuity aligned with hyperscale deployment needs. This positions the partnership for high-volume hyperscale deployment with the capacity flexibility and supply continuity required at scale. The collaboration supports customer evaluations for DWDM CPO programs, establishing a defined path from qualification to volume manufacturing.
"Next-generation AI infrastructure demands optical interconnects that deliver more bandwidth per fiber at lower power per bit," said Matt Crowley, Chief Executive Officer of Scintil Photonics. "DWDM co-packaged optics meets that bar. LEAF Light™ brings the DWDM laser source technology; Tower's SiPho platform brings the manufacturing scale. With SHIP™ now validated on Tower's production lines, customers have a path from evaluation to millions of units per month."
"We deeply value our long-term partnership with Scintil, and are excited to bring this revolutionary monolithic DWDM laser technology to market to enable next generations of scale-up architectures,” said Dr. Ed Preisler, VP and GM of RF Business Unit at Tower Semiconductor. “Scintil’s technology complements our PH18M platform already in mass production for optical transceivers at our facilities worldwide.”
As AI data center growth accelerates, hyperscalers need networking solutions that reduce power, improve utilization, and scale with the next generation of models. DWDM CPO, with higher bandwidth density, lower energy per bit, and ultra-low tail latency, are where the industry is heading. LEAF Light™ is the first production-ready DWDM laser source that uses heterogeneous integration to monolithically integrate active lasers and established silicon photonics on a single chip.
Additional information and OFC:
For more detailed information on this and Scintil manufacturing roadmap, please visit Scintil at the OFC 2026 Conference in Los Angeles, March 17–19, booth# 5537.
To learn more about Tower’s advanced silicon photonics (SiPho) platform and RF & HPA technology offerings, visit Tower’s booth #2221 at the upcoming OFC 2026 conference, March 17-19, 2025. Additional information is also available on the company’s website: here.
Representatives from both companies will be available for meetings during the event.
About Tower Semiconductor
Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (NASDAQ/TASE: TSEM), the leading foundry of high-value analog semiconductor solutions, provides technology, development, and process platforms for its customers in growing markets such as consumer, industrial, automotive, mobile, infrastructure, medical and aerospace and defense. Tower Semiconductor focuses on creating a positive and sustainable impact on the world through long-term partnerships and its advanced and innovative analog technology offering, comprised of a broad range of customizable process platforms such as SiPho, SiGe, BiCMOS, mixed-signal/CMOS, RF CMOS, CMOS image sensor, non-imaging sensors, displays, integrated power management (BCD and 700V), and MEMS. Tower Semiconductor also provides world-class design enablement for a quick and accurate design cycle as well as process transfer services including development, transfer, and optimization, to IDMs and fabless companies. To provide multi-fab sourcing and extended capacity for its customers, Tower Semiconductor currently owns one operating facility in Israel (200mm), two in the U.S. (200mm), and two in Japan (200mm and 300mm) which it owns through its
Safe Harbor Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results may vary from those projected or implied by such forward-looking statements. A complete discussion of risks and uncertainties that may affect the accuracy of forward-looking statements included in this press release or which may otherwise affect Tower’s business is included under the heading “Risk Factors” in Tower’s most recent filings on Forms 20-F, F-3, F-4 and 6-K, as were filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and the Israel Securities Authority. Tower does not intend to update, and expressly disclaim any obligation to update, the information contained in this release.
Tower Semiconductor Company Contact: Orit Shahar | +972-74-7377440 | oritsha@towersemi.com
Tower Semiconductor Investor Relations Contact: Liat Avraham | +972-4-6506154 | liatavra@towersemi.com
About Scintil Photonics
Scintil Photonics is the global leader in DWDM laser sources for AI. Using its SHIP™ (Scintil Heterogeneous Integrated Photonics) technology, Scintil developed LEAF Light™, the world’s first single-chip DWDM laser source for high-density optical connectivity in scale-up networks. LEAF Light™ enables hyperscalers to meet the power, tail latency, utilization, and bandwidth demands of large-scale GPU clusters, leveraging next-generation co-packaged optics (CPO). Headquartered in Grenoble, France, with operations across North America, Scintil is built to support global needs for advanced AI infrastructure.
www.scintil-photonics.com
Scintil Media Contact: Isaac Lopez | OmniScale Media (For Scintil Photonics) | 360-576-5475 |
isaac@omniscalemedia.com or For press inquiries in France or Europe, please contact cassandre@scintil-photonics.com.
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FAQ
What did Tower Semiconductor (TSEM) and Scintil announce on February 17, 2026?
How does LEAF Light™ affect DWDM co-packaged optics for AI data centers (TSEM)?
What manufacturing capacity and supply assurances did Tower (TSEM) highlight for DWDM lasers?
What technical advantage does Scintil’s SHIP™ bring to Tower’s SiPho platform (TSEM)?
Will Tower and Scintil support customer evaluations for DWDM CPO programs (TSEM)?
