Highlights
- The University of Arizona and National Sun Yat-sen University launched SPARK, a joint semiconductor and photonics research center, at SEMICON Taiwan in Taipei.
- The center builds on a six-party collaboration agreement signed in March among two universities, Tucson, Pima County, the Arizona Commerce Authority, and Kaohsiung.
- SPARK will develop optical data-transfer technologies aimed at reducing power consumption at AI data centers, which Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory projects could consume 11.8% of U.S. electricity by 2030.
- Industry partners will shape the research agenda and gain early access to results and students trained in engineering, optical sciences, and physics.
The University of Arizona and National Sun Yat-sen University of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, launched a joint research and education center focused on developing technologies to improve the performance and efficiency of systems that power artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. The center, called the Silicon Photonics at Arizona-Kaohsiung Center, or SPARK, was announced at SEMICON Taiwan, a major industry gathering in Taipei.
U of A Senior Vice President for Research and Partnerships Tomás Díaz de la Rubia and NSYSU President Chih-Peng Li made the announcement. "I can think of no more fitting place to launch SPARK than here in Taiwan, at the center of a semiconductor industry that has transformed the global economy," Díaz de la Rubia said. "AI and high-performance computing are pushing the limits of how quickly and efficiently we can move enormous amounts of data. Meeting that challenge will require new approaches that bring semiconductors and photonics together."
SPARK builds on a six-party collaboration agreement signed in March among the two universities and civic leaders from Tucson, Pima County, the Arizona Commerce Authority, and the City of Kaohsiung. Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the ACA, said the center will accelerate semiconductor innovation and expand commercialization pathways between Arizona and Kaohsiung.
The technical focus is optical data transfer: moving data at the speed of light rather than through electrical connections to reduce power consumption, heat generation, and data lag. The initiative targets co-packaged optics, which places optical components alongside computer chips to shorten electrical connections. According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, data centers could account for 11.8% of all U.S. electricity use by 2030.
Heath Vescovi-Chiordi, Pima County's director of economic development, said the center will provide Southern Arizona companies with resources to grow while creating opportunities for new suppliers, startups, and investments. SPARK will also offer jointly developed courses, online learning for industry members, and academic programs allowing students to earn degrees through smaller credentials.
Industry partners will identify and select research projects aligned with their needs, engage directly with university researchers, and gain early access to results and students with expertise in engineering, optical sciences, information science, and physics. The center also will help companies translate research into products by providing access to intellectual property developed through SPARK.
A formal launch timeline was not disclosed; the partnership's research agenda will be shaped by participating industry partners.
Sources
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- aztechcouncil.org retrieved 10/09/2026 21:39
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 10/09/2026 21:39. Every claim traces to a source.
