AlN Substrates: Core Thermal Base for 800G/1.6T Modules

With the explosion of bandwidth demand from AI computing clusters, optical modules are rapidly iterating from 400G to 800G and 1.6T. Module power consumption has jumped from 8–15 W to 25–45 W+, and the heat flux density of optical chips and DSPs rises sharply—so the aluminum nitride optical module substrate ​has shifted from an "optional upgrade" to a critical thermal carrier in high-power designs.

 In mass-produced 800G and pre-production 1.6T programs, the AlN ceramic substrate for 800G optical transceiver​ has been batch-adopted as the mount under lasers, drivers, and DSPs. Commercial AlN substrates deliver 170–230 W/m·K—5–8× alumina's 20–30 W/m·K—quickly extracting junction heat to prevent wavelength drift and life decay. For the next-generation AlN substrate for 1.6T optical module, heat flux climbs further, and AlN's high thermal conductivity and high insulation combination is nearly irreplaceable.

At the chip-base level, the AlN laser diode submount for silicon photonics​ leverages CTE ≈ 4.2–4.8 ppm/K (close to InP, better than alumina's mismatch with GaAs/Si) to cut solder fatigue from thermal cycling. In large-scale data-center rollouts, the high thermal conductivity AlN substrate data center​ is becoming standard for silicon-photonics engines and CPO architectures.

 Selection often comes down to the aluminum nitride vs alumina optical module​ trade-off: alumina costs about one-third to one-fifth that of AlN (varying with specs and volume) and still works when total module power is <20 W or local hot-spot flux is <50 W/cm². But once power and flux cross that line, AlN is the optimal choice across thermal conductivity, insulation, CTE match, and production maturity—and its penetration climbs fast with each higher power tier.

Xiamen Juci specializes in manufacturing High Purity AlN Powder, AlN Granule, Thermal Conductive Filler, and AlN Ceramics—products that have earned consistent recognition and positive feedback from customers worldwide. Should you have any requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Contact: Jenny Qin / 진현혜 

Phone: +86 151-5177-8700

Wechat ID: JENNY-8866

Xiamen Juci Technology Co., Ltd.

Email: qinxianhui@chinajuci.com

Website: www.jucialnglobal.com