Interview with Brad Booth, Head of NLM Photonics
In the realm of cutting-edge technology, NLM Photonics is making waves with its innovative approach to sustainability. The company, led by CEO Brad Booth, has a mission deeply rooted in sustainability, a value that shapes every aspect of its work at NLM Photonics.
Recently, NLM Photonics announced the launch of Selerion-BHX, a groundbreaking technology designed for ultra-high bandwidth and small form-factor applications such as optical I/O and satellite communications. This development is set to redefine the boundaries of what's possible in the data center industry.
But what makes Selerion-BHX so special? For starters, it promises to reduce AI data center power requirements by up to 15%. In an industry under pressure to lower energy consumption amid rapidly growing power demand, especially driven by AI workloads, this is a significant step forward.
The Selerion-HTX platform, another NLM Photonics innovation, delivers more bandwidth with less energy, enabling smaller, more efficient photonic circuits. This is a game-changer for the data center industry, which is constantly striving for greater efficiency and reduced environmental impact.
However, for NLM Photonics’ new photonic materials to secure widespread adoption across diverse data center networking applications globally, they must meet key industry standards. These include high-speed network performance standards supporting emerging data rates, interoperability standards, energy efficiency and sustainability standards, reliability and stability criteria, and compliance with environmental and chemical reporting standards.
To validate its technology and accelerate the path to scalable manufacturing, NLM has collaborated with AMF, Enosemi, and Centera on the 1.6T DR8 PIC. The company also focuses on compatibility with standard silicon fabs and engages with standards bodies to ensure interoperability.
NLM's solutions fit into next-generation AI and data center hardware, starting with 200Gb/s per wavelength and scaling to 400Gb/s per wavelength. The company's technology works by replacing the silicon oxide in the waveguide with organic electro-optic materials, allowing for more efficient modulators and higher bandwidth.
Moreover, NLM's solutions are well-suited for satellite and space-based systems where size, weight, and power are critical. The company has even provided technology for plasmonic organic hybrid (POH) PICs, achieving record electro-optic responsivity for applications in the terahertz range.
Brad Booth, the visionary behind NLM Photonics, brings a wealth of experience in communications and connectivity to the table. His leadership roles at Microsoft Azure, Meta, Dell, and Intel have given him a unique perspective on the industry's needs and opportunities. Booth is motivated to focus on improving data center energy use due to the opportunity to fundamentally shift the photonics industry's trajectory.
NLM is building on decades of foundational work at the University of Washington, collaborating with world-class labs and research institutions. The company is also making strides in the quantum computing space, working with a client to tune its technology for lower loss.
In his personal life, Booth leads by example, living sustainably with his wife, raising livestock and collecting rainwater off the grid. This commitment to sustainability is evident in every aspect of NLM Photonics' work.
In conclusion, NLM Photonics is at the forefront of a new era in data center technology, one that promises to be more efficient, sustainable, and capable of meeting the demands of the future. With its innovative approach and commitment to sustainability, NLM Photonics is reshaping what's possible at the material level to flatten the trajectory of energy consumption in data centers.
- NLM Photonics' innovative technology, such as Selerion-BHX and Selerion-HTX, not only promises to redefine the data center industry with their high bandwidth and energy efficiency, but also aims to make significant strides in the finance sector by lowering AI data center power requirements, a critical factor in the industry's urgent quest to reduce energy consumption.
- The collaboration between NLM Photonics and various institutions and standards bodies in the technology field, including AMF, Enosemi, Centera, and silicon fabs, signifies a commitment to ensuring interoperability and compliance, a step essential for the widespread adoption of NLM's groundbreaking photonic materials across diverse data center networking applications, reaching beyond traditional boundaries into the satellite and space-based systems sector.
