Artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) are driving unprecedented demand for data movement. As bandwidth requirements climb and conventional electrical interconnects encounter limitations in power consumption, latency and reach, silicon photonics, near-packaged optics (NPO), and co-packaged optics (CPO) are becoming increasingly important technologies for next-generation data centers. Much of the industry’s attention has focused on photonic device innovation. But demonstrating a high-performance photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is only part of the challenge. Turning these devices into products that can be manufactured reliably and economically at high volume requires a test infrastructure that can keep pace. This represents a significant shift. Semiconductor manufacturing has benefited from decades of refinement in automated electrical test. Silicon photonics adds an optical dimension that brings new requirements for fiber alignment, coupling efficiency, polarization management, and optical instrumentation—while still requiring conventional electrical characterization. As silicon photonics moves from development environments toward high-volume production, test becomes more than a quality gate. It is an integral part of the manufacturing strategy. Fig. 1: An HVM-ready test solution requires a full complement of supporting hardware and software. Bringing precision optical alignment to production One of the most fundamental challenges is establishing a reliable optical connection to the device under test. Unlike electrical probing, where physical contact provides a relatively straightforward interface, optical testing depends on precisely coupling light into and out of very small structures. That coupling must be repeatable from device to device and wafer to wafer. Even small variations in fiber position or angle can affect insertion loss and measured optical performance, potentially making it difficult to distinguish actual device variation from variation introduced by the test setup. For this reason, high-volume testing requires automated alignment capabilities that can quickly locate the optical interface and optimize coupling. This can involve visual or image-based positioning to bring a fiber array unit close to the grating couplers, followed by area scans and gradient-search techniques to identify the optimal position via feedback loops – a technique typically referred to as “active alignment.” The process may also require optimization across six degrees of freedom—X, Y, and Z positioning plus three rotational axes—to maximize coupling efficiency and minimize channel-to-channel variation. The problem becomes more complex as optical interfaces add channels. Alignment must not simply maximize one channel’s performance; it must produce consistent coupling across multiple channels. Rotational alignment, for example, can influence how evenly an optical beam overlaps multiple grating couplers. Other angular adjustments can affect both insertion loss and center wavelength. Polarization presents another variable. Because photonic structures can respond differently depending on the polarization state of incoming light, polarization must be characterized and controlled as part of a repeatable production methodology. Together, these requirements make alignment an active measurement and optimization process rather than a simple mechanical positioning step. The manufacturing challenge is to automate these functions without allowing alignment time to become a throughput bottleneck. Combining electrical and optical test without sacrificing throughput Alignment is only one part of the equation. A PIC may incorporate photodetectors, modulators, and other components requiring combinations of optical and electrical measurements. Typical characterization can include insertion loss, channel-to-channel uniformity, optical attenuation, photodetector responsivity, and wavelength-dependent behavior. Performing these measu