Key Takeaways
- Shares of Lightwave Logic (LWLG) climbed as much as 30% during premarket hours Thursday following news of a silicon photonics collaboration with Tower Semiconductor (TSEM).
- The partnership will incorporate LWLG’s electro-optic polymer modulator technology into Tower’s PH18 silicon photonics process design kit.
- The technology is engineered for bandwidths exceeding 110GHz, enabling 200G and 400G modulator configurations.
- Both firms plan several engineering tapeouts throughout 2026 to test performance specifications for AI data center applications.
- This announcement comes after LWLG’s collaboration with Luceda Photonics and SilTerra, while Tower recently partnered with Nvidia on 1.6Tbps optical components.
Lightwave Logic (LWLG) shares experienced strong momentum Wednesday, climbing more than 15% to settle at $5.02 — marking the stock’s strongest performance in over five months. But Thursday morning brought even bigger moves.
The semiconductor firm unveiled a development partnership with Tower Semiconductor (TSEM), triggering an immediate market reaction. LWLG shares spiked up to 30% during premarket sessions.
The agreement focuses on incorporating Lightwave Logic’s electro-optic polymer modulator technology into Tower’s PH18 silicon photonics process design kit (PDK). These modulator designs are engineered for bandwidths surpassing 110 gigahertz.
This positions the technology as a viable solution for 400-gigabits-per-lane applications within photonic integrated circuits — the high-throughput data connections that AI-powered data centers require for optimal performance.
This partnership extends beyond a simple agreement. The companies intend to provide customers access to engineering tapeouts scheduled for 2026, enabling early-stage adopters to test modulator-based designs using the PH18 platform.
Breaking Down the Technology
The initiative will test low-power 200G and 400G modulator designs intended for deployment in AI infrastructure, high-performance computing environments, and cutting-edge networking applications.
“This collaboration allows us to bring the performance advantages of our electro-optic polymer modulators into a widely accessible foundry PDK, lowering the barrier for customers to create differentiated photonic solutions and accelerate innovation,” CEO Yves LeMaitre said.
Tower Semiconductor shares also responded positively, rising approximately 2% in premarket activity after the announcement.
Additional Strategic Partnerships
Lightwave Logic has been busy forging partnerships beyond this Tower Semiconductor deal. In early March, the company announced that its electro-optic polymer modulator technology had been integrated into Luceda Photonics’ design platform, working in conjunction with SilTerra Malaysia’s silicon photonics infrastructure.
This arrangement enables engineers to design and tape out photonic integrated circuits utilizing LWLG’s modulators for 200G and 400G per lane functionality. An initial tapeout was completed earlier this year by SilTerra, Lightwave Logic, and Luceda Photonics.
Testing and validation results from that tapeout are anticipated around mid-2026.
Meanwhile, Tower Semiconductor’s collaboration with LWLG follows its February announcement of an Nvidia partnership focused on developing 1.6 terabits-per-second optical modules designed for AI data centers using its silicon photonics technology.
Tower continues expanding its AI infrastructure ecosystem, and the Lightwave Logic collaboration aligns with that strategic direction.
LWLG finished Wednesday’s session at $5.02. TSEM shares climbed roughly 2% during Thursday’s premarket trading after the partnership was revealed.
