HieFo Corporation
HieFo Corporation is a US-based designer and manufacturer of Indium Phosphide optical chips, including gain chips, DFB lasers, and photodiodes, sold to optical module makers and network equipment vendors (Cisco, Ciena) for AI, telecom, datacom, and sensing applications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersAlhambra, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What HieFo Corporation does
HieFo Corporation is a US-based designer and manufacturer of Indium Phosphide (InP) optical semiconductor devices that supply the optical transceiver and module ecosystem. The company was created in 2024 through a management buyout of EMCORE's discontinued Chips business and InP wafer fabrication plant in Alhambra, California, acquiring four decades of inherited device IP, MOCVD epitaxial growth capability, wafer processing, facet coating, and laser diode assembly under one roof. Its core product portfolio comprises high-power gain chips for integrated tunable laser assemblies (xITLA), Coherent Lite DFB laser chips for terabit transceivers, high-power CW DFB lasers for silicon photonics, wireless DFB lasers for 5G/6G and satellite backhaul, specialty DFB lasers for OTDR test equipment, and 25G PIN and monitor photodiodes. Differentiated performance claims include up to 40% wall-plug efficiency gains versus conventional gain chips, 200mW+ output at sub-300kHz linewidth, and uncooled CWDM4 operation from -5 to 75°C.
HieFo sells directly as a B2B component supplier to optical module manufacturers and network equipment vendors, including named customers Cisco and Ciena for metro backhaul and 1.6T/3.2T optical architectures, plus unnamed leading optical module manufacturers ordering devices for 1.6 TB/s single-carrier wavelength transceivers. Its go-to-market relies on direct technical engagement, the OFC, CIOE, and ECOC trade shows, and a corporate website organized around four solution areas: Datacom, Telecom, AI Connectivity, and Sensing. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The Alhambra facility is ISO 9001 certified and operates with Telcordia GR-468-CORE-qualified processes for select products.
In January 2026, the Trump administration ordered HieFo to divest the EMCORE assets within 180 days citing national security concerns tied to the Chinese citizenship of its founder and CEO. In March 2026, Semtech Corporation acquired HieFo for approximately $34 million in cash, with CFIUS non-objection, to combine HieFo's InP chip portfolio with Semtech's transimpedance amplifiers and laser drivers for AI infrastructure optical networking. The transaction was expected to be accretive to Semtech's non-GAAP diluted EPS within the first year, with plans to expand capacity and hiring at the Alhambra site.
HieFo Corporation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HieFo Corporation
- Legal name
- HieFo Corporation
- Website
- https://hiefo.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- HieFo Corporation is a US-based designer and manufacturer of Indium Phosphide optical chips, including gain chips, DFB lasers, and photodiodes, sold to optical module makers and network equipment vendors (Cisco, Ciena) for AI, telecom, datacom, and sensing applications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HieFo Corporation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Photonic Semiconductors
- NAICS
- Semiconductor and Related Device Manufacturing (334413), Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441)
- SIC
- Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Optoelectronic / Photonics Foundries (Silicon Photonics/LED/Laser) (HDAHACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs) (HDAHAAAH), Optoelectronic Emitters (LED/Laser/VCSEL) (HDAHALAL), Optoelectronic Receivers & Transceivers (Photodetectors/Optical Modules) (HDAHALAM), Compound Semiconductor Wafers & Substrates (SiC/GaN/GaAs/InP/Sapphire) (HDAHAGAB), Wafer Services & Reclaim (Epitaxy, Thinning, Reclaim) (HDAHACAH)
Keywords
Where HieFo Corporation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Alhambra
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
HieFo Corporation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
HieFo Corporation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HieFo Corporation designs and manufactures Indium Phosphide (InP) photonic semiconductor chips, including high-power DFB laser chips, gain chips for tunable laser assemblies, PIN photodiodes, monitor photodiodes, and specialty laser chips, produced at a vertically integrated InP wafer fabrication facility in Alhambra, California. Products target optical module manufacturers serving data center interconnects, telecom coherent transmission, AI infrastructure, wireless backhaul, and optical sensing applications. The company also offers wafer foundry services spanning MOCVD epitaxy through laser diode assembly.
Product overview
HieFo Corporation is a U.S.-based manufacturer of Indium Phosphide (InP) optical chips and photonic devices, offering a portfolio of discrete components and solution categories. The core product portfolio includes High Power Gain Chips (HGC 16, HGC 20) for tunable laser assemblies, Coherent Lite DFB Laser Chips (HCL 30) for terabit transceivers, High-Power CW DFB Laser Chips (HDD 19) for silicon photonics, Wireless DFB Laser Chips (HWL 01) for RF-over-fiber, Specialty DFB Laser Chips (HOT 25) for OTDR, PIN Photodiodes (HPP 25), and Monitor Photodiodes (HMP 45). These are organized into four solution areas: Datacom (data center interconnects, CPO, silicon photonics), Telecom (DWDM coherent systems, 6G, satellite), AI Connectivity (AI infrastructure optical networks), and Sensing (LiDAR, environmental monitoring, industrial). The company also offers Foundry Services leveraging its vertically integrated InP wafer fabrication facility in Alhambra, California.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HGC 20 High Power Gain Chip High Power Gain Chip mounted on proprietary submount, designed as a fundamental building block for Integrated Tunable Laser Assemblies (xITLA). Delivers industry-leading narrow linewidth, low noise, and excellent frequency accuracy in field-proven ITLA technology with optical output approaching 22dBm and up to 40% WPE improvement over conventional gain chips.
- HGC 16 High Power Gain Chip High Power Gain Chip mounted on proprietary submount for Integrated Tunable Laser Assemblies (xITLA). Demonstrates industry-leading narrow linewidth, low noise, and excellent frequency accuracy in field-proven ITLA technology (C+ band).
- HCL 30 Coherent Lite DFB Laser Chip Coherent narrow linewidth DFB Laser Chip for coherent lite transceiver applications. Features industry-leading narrow linewidth performance (less than 300kHz) and high power (21dBm output) for terabit coherent transceivers in data center and AI applications. Available in O-band and C-band wavelengths.
- HDD 19 High-Power CW DFB Laser Chip High Power CW DFB Laser Chip for uncooled continuous wave transmission. Provides 70mW output power at 75°C for CWDM4 wavelengths (1271nm to 1331nm). Designed for silicon photonics-based transceiver applications with uncooled operations from 0°C to 75°C.
- HWL 01 Wireless DFB Laser Chip High bandwidth and linear DFB Laser Chip for wireless communication applications. Demonstrates industry-leading high linearity, high efficiency, high bandwidth (over 15 GHz RF modulation), and low relative intensity noise. Available at 1270nm, 1330nm, 1370nm, and 1410nm wavelengths. Telcordia GR-468-CORE compliant.
- HOT 25 Specialty DFB Laser Chip Specialty DFB Laser Chip for OTDR (Optical Time Domain Reflectometer) applications. Delivers 300mW output power at 1310nm with 1mm cavity length. True DFB laser supporting FMCW coherent detection for precise and longer-range OTDR measurements. Features greater than 50dB SMSR and -145 dB/Hz(1/2) RIN.
- HPP 25 25G PIN Photodiode Chip High-speed 25G PIN photodiode chip with high responsivity, low capacitance, and low dark current design. Used as a low cost, high-speed data communication receiving device for data center, 5G wireless, and PON network applications. Features 25 Gbps data rate and uncooled operation from -40°C to +85°C. Telcordia 468 compliant.
- HMP 45 Monitor Photodiode Top Illuminated Chip Top illuminated monitor photodiode chip for monitoring optical output power of edge emitting semiconductor lasers and ITLA applications. Features 450 micrometer aperture, high responsivity, and low operating bias voltage in 980nm to 1624nm wavelength range. Operating temperature range of -40°C to +85°C.
- Foundry Services Wafer fabrication services using HieFo's vertically integrated InP semiconductor manufacturing facility. Offers MOCVD epitaxy, wafer processing, facet coating, chip processing, and laser diode assembly, partnering with customers from early development stages through full-scale manufacturing with rapid prototype turnaround.
Quantifiable outcome
- 40% improvement in wall-plug efficiency (WPE) compared to conventional gain chips
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use HieFo Corporation
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
HieFo Corporation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature9 records
HieFo Corporation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Semtech CorporationcoreSemtech Corporation acquired HieFo Corporation for approximately $34 million in cash to strengthen its position in high-bandwidth optical networking solutions for AI infrastructure. The acquisition integrated HieFo's InP optical device technologies (gain chips, DFB laser chips) with Semtech's existing transimpedance amplifiers and laser driver solutions. The transaction received CFIUS non-objection and was expected to be accretive to non-GAAP diluted EPS within the first year. Semtech planned to expand manufacturing capacity and hiring at HieFo's Alhambra, California facility.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
HieFo Corporation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
HieFo Corporation social profiles
Digital presenceHieFo Corporation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
HieFo Corporation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HieFo Corporation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
HieFo Corporation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HieFo Corporation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HieFo Corporation
What does HieFo Corporation do?
HieFo Corporation designs and manufactures Indium Phosphide (InP) photonic semiconductor chips, including high-power DFB laser chips, gain chips for tunable laser assemblies, PIN photodiodes, monitor photodiodes, and specialty laser chips, produced at a vertically integrated InP wafer fabrication facility in Alhambra, California. Products target optical module manufacturers serving data center interconnects, telecom coherent transmission, AI infrastructure, wireless backhaul, and optical sensing applications. The company also offers wafer foundry services spanning MOCVD epitaxy through laser diode assembly.
Is HieFo Corporation a public or private company?
HieFo Corporation is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was HieFo Corporation founded?
HieFo Corporation was founded in 2024. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is HieFo Corporation based?
HieFo Corporation is headquartered in Alhambra, United States, in the North America region.
Does HieFo Corporation have an API?
No public API is recorded for HieFo Corporation.
What industry is HieFo Corporation in?
HieFo Corporation's product category is Photonic Semiconductors. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHACAG, Optoelectronic / Photonics Foundries (Silicon Photonics/LED/Laser), with a secondary code of HDAHAAAH, Optoelectronics & Photonics (LED/Laser/Optical ICs). Its NAICS code is 334413 and its SIC code is 3674.