Aixtron: The Growth Step (Pt.1)
The quiet German monopoly behind the compound semiconductor chips that AI data centers cannot be built without.
optical interconnects
Notes: Light is the Future (Pt.2)
Summary
* The optical supply chain bottleneck into 2026 is EML capacity, with 200G EMLs (needed for 1.6T) far tighter than 100G and keeping pricing and allocations elevated.
* Silicon photonics is the short-term “release valve” for EML shortages by shifting more functionality onto PICs and using CW light sources, but
Lumentum Holdings: The Optical Engine Behind the AI Data-Center Revolution
Summary
* Record 1Q26: $533.8m revenue (+58% YoY) with next-quarter guide $630–$670m; cloud/AI now >60% of mix, beating the $600m/quarter goal early.
* Growth is structural as hyperscalers shift from copper scale-up to optical scale-out, accelerating 800G/1.6T transceiver demand.
* LITE’s leadership in 200G-per-lane EMLs