[News] RF Chipmaker Maxscend Announces Strategic Expansion into Optical Interconnects

On August 26, Maxscend Technologies disclosed in an investor relations record that the company is strategically extending its footprint into the optical interconnect sector. Maxscend is currently advancing both optical and electrical chip businesses in parallel, with its silicon photonics process now in the final qualification stage.

Maxscend stated that this strategic expansion into optical interconnects stems from long-term industry analysis and offers strong synergies with its core RF business.

Technologically, both optical interconnects and RF belong to the high-frequency, high-speed domain. The company’s in-house “Maxscend Process Platform” encompasses specialized processes such as SOI and SiGe, allowing core technical capabilities to be transferred and reused. Operationally, its Fab-Lite model translates smoothly to the optical interconnect segment.

The company highlighted its robust volume production capabilities in SiGe technology, alongside its silicon photonics process reaching the final process design freeze. Designed for emerging applications like optical communications, the specialized SOI and SiGe processes built on its 12-inch wafer line share high underlying technological logic and platform architecture with RF front-end manufacturing.

Since these processes rely on silicon-based heterogeneous integration, they share core manufacturing and integration capabilities, enabling multi-device compatibility on a unified platform.

Rather than a blind cross-industry pivot, this expansion leverages Maxscend’s existing process platforms to branch into optical and electrical ICs. The 12-inch line currently holds an SOI capacity of approximately 9,000 wafers per month, with equipment and capacity adjustments planned progressively alongside new product rollouts.

Beyond optical interconnects, Maxscend is advancing BCD power management process technology as a key initiative for AI data centers and emerging markets. These new vectors—optical chips, electrical chips, and high-performance power management—will run concurrently with its primary RF operations.

From an industry perspective, surging AI compute power is driving demand for high-speed interconnects, prompting chipmaker expansion into optical communications and specialized foundry processes.

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