TLDR
- Lightwave Logic (LWLG) surged up to 30% in premarket trading Thursday after announcing a silicon photonics development deal with Tower Semiconductor (TSEM).
- The two companies will integrate LWLG’s electro-optic polymer modulator designs into Tower’s PH18 silicon photonics process design kit.
- The designs target bandwidths of 110GHz and beyond, supporting 200G and 400G modulator architectures.
- Multiple engineering tapeouts are planned for 2026 to validate performance targets for AI infrastructure use cases.
- The deal follows a separate LWLG integration with Luceda Photonics and SilTerra, and Tower’s recent Nvidia partnership for 1.6Tbps optical modules.
Lightwave Logic (LWLG) stock was already riding high after jumping over 15% on Wednesday to close at $5.02 — its best session in more than five months. Then Thursday came along.
The company announced a new development agreement with Tower Semiconductor (TSEM), and the market responded. LWLG surged as much as 30% in premarket trading.
The deal centers on integrating Lightwave Logic’s electro-optic polymer modulator designs into Tower’s PH18 silicon photonics process design kit (PDK). The modulator designs target bandwidths of 110 gigahertz and beyond.
After🕓Hours 4;30$LWLG < $6 – Lightwave Logic $TSEM – Tower Semiconductor
🔹Announce Development Agreement
🔹To Enable High-Speed, Low-Power Modulators on Tower's PH18 Silicon Photonics Platform
🔹Development program includes multiple engineering tapeouts during 2026
🔹Aims… pic.twitter.com/3wxv85ZzmD— John Zidar aka/ Stock Wizard (@JohnZidar) March 12, 2026
That puts them squarely in the running for 400-gigabits-per-lane applications inside photonic integrated circuits — the kind of high-speed data links that AI data centers are increasingly hungry for.
The collaboration isn’t just a handshake. Both companies plan to offer customers access to upcoming engineering tapeouts in 2026, giving early adopters a chance to validate modulator-based designs on the PH18 platform.
What the Tech Actually Does
The program will validate low-power 200G and 400G modulator architectures for use in AI infrastructure, high-performance computing, and advanced networking systems.
“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 stock also moved, gaining nearly 2% in premarket trading following the announcement.
More Deals in the Pipeline
This isn’t Lightwave Logic’s only recent partnership play. Earlier in March, the company said its electro-optic polymer modulator platform was integrated into the Luceda Photonics design environment, targeting SilTerra Malaysia’s silicon photonics platform.
That deal allows designers to develop and tape out photonic integrated circuits using LWLG’s modulators targeting 200G and 400G per lane operation. SilTerra, Lightwave Logic, and Luceda Photonics completed an initial tapeout earlier this year.
Device testing and performance validation from that tapeout is expected in mid-2026.
On Tower’s side, the LWLG deal follows its own February announcement of a partnership with Nvidia to develop 1.6 terabits-per-second optical modules for AI data centers using its silicon photonics platform.
Tower is actively building out its AI infrastructure ecosystem, and the Lightwave Logic agreement fits that pattern.
LWLG closed Wednesday at $5.02. TSEM rose nearly 2% in premarket trading Thursday following the deal announcement.
