As AI large model training clusters scale from 10,000 to 100,000 accelerators, optical interconnects for modern data centers face a critical “impossible trinity” balancing bandwidth density, power consumption, and serviceability. Traditional pluggable optical modules are approaching front-panel density limits and facing worsening thermal bottlenecks at 1.6T and above. Co-packaged optics (CPO), while significantly reducing power consumption, remain constrained by technical complexity and manufacturing yield. In this context, the “x”PO technology family, including CPO, LPO, NPO, and XPO, is evolving rapidly. These diverse technical paths provide full-scenario optical interconnect solutions for AI data centers, ranging from short-reach to long-reach, and from pluggable to co-packaged architectures.

However, the industry continues to face major challenges in thermal management, advanced packaging yield, reliability, serviceability, cost control, and ecosystem compatibility.

“x”PO Technologies Diversify, Supported by Optical Chips, Modules, and Semiconductor Equipment

“x”PO represents a diversified technology matrix rather than a single standardized solution. LPO (Linear Drive Pluggable Optics) removes DSP chips to deliver ultra-low power consumption, making it ideal for intra-rack short-reach interconnect scenarios. NPO (Near-Packaged Optics) features high integration and simple deployment, advancing rapidly toward large-scale commercialization. CPO breaks the physical limitations of bandwidth density and power efficiency, serving as the definitive long-term technical direction for high-end interconnection. XPO adopts a unique belly-to-belly dual paddle card design, retaining hot-swappability while boosting single-module bandwidth up to 12.8T. Despite distinct technical routes, all “x”PO architectures impose higher requirements on high-performance optical chips, modules, and advanced packaging equipment.

As one of the eight themed exhibitions of CIOE 2026, the CIOE - Information and Communication Expo will cover the entire optical communication industry chain from chips, components, modules, equipment, and solutions, as well as semiconductor materials and equipment. The event will showcase the latest technologies and solutions for AI data centers. Concurrently, CIOE 2026 will hold an Information Communication Industry Forum including sessions of Optical Interconnect Technology for AI Computing Clusters Forum and the Photonics-Electronics Convergence Technology and Industrial Development Forum. The forum will bring together industry, academia, research, and users to discuss key technologies for high-speed, high-capacity optical transmission, market trends, and application deployment, advancing industry collaboration. >>>Get your free pass

Optical Chips Accelerate Breakthroughs: Silicon Photonics and High-Power Light Sources

Optical chip companies are accelerating toward silicon photonics integration, high-power light sources, and high-linearity driver chips, providing core support for LPO, CPO, XPO, and other scenarios. Everbright offers a full series of optical communication chips covering EML, VCSEL, DFB, and PIN PD. Its 70/100/200mW CW DFB laser series is optimized for advanced packaging scenarios such as silicon photonics modules and CPO, while its 200G PAM4 EML and 200mW CW DFB chips are purpose-built for silicon photonics integration in 800G/1.6T high-speed modules. HiSilicon has deep deployments in both silicon photonics and VCSEL. On the silicon photonics front, it is evolving from 1.6T solutions to high-density 3.2T and 7.2T products; on the VCSEL front, it has achieved a 200Gbps data rate, using multi-channel arrays to support intra-cluster scale-up scenarios. BROADCOM officially released its third-generation co-packaged optics Ethernet switch, Tomahawk 6 - Davisson, integrating a StrataXGS Tomahawk 6 switch chip with sixteen 6.4T silicon photonics engines to deliver 102.4Tb/s switching capacity — double the bandwidth of existing solutions with 70% lower power consumption.

Featured Exhibitors: ACCELINK, ADVANCED FIBER RESOURCES, BROADCOM, COMPOUNDTEK, COHERENT, CREDO, ENABLENCE, EVERBRIGHT, GLOBALFOUNDRIES, HISILICON, HISENSE, KAM, LIGENTEC SA, LUCEDA PHOTONICS, MACOM, MARVELL, MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC, PHOGRAIN, PIC, PLANSEE, POET, SEMTECH, SICOYA, SIFOTONICS, SIMWORKS, SOURCE PHOTONICS, TOWER, WD PHOTONICS, WOORIRO.

*List in alphabetical order.

Optical Modules Enter 1.6T Volume Ramp-Up, Higher-Speed Solutions Accelerate

At the optical module level, 1.6T has entered volume ramp-up, while 3.2T and higher-speed products are moving into sampling and validation. COHERENT demonstrated multiple CPO technologies early in the year, including a 6.4T silicon photonics CPO solution, a multimode VCSEL-based socket CPO, and a 400G silicon-based indium phosphide modulator, comprehensively covering CPO technology paths from silicon photonics to indium phosphide. InnoLight has 1.6T modules in mass production and is actively developing 6.4T NPO and 12.8T XPO new products for sampling and testing. Eoptolink, a global benchmark in LPO technology, ranks among the top three globally in 800G silicon photonics production volume and has started small-scale shipments of 1.6T modules. HG TECH has achieved bulk supply of 1.6T modules with high product maturity. Overall, 2026 will be a key year for the large-scale ramp-up of 1.6T optical modules, with 3.2T and higher-speed products already in sampling and customer validation.

Featured Exhibitors: ACCELIGHT, ACCELINK, AFALIGHT, ATOP, ALLWAVE, BAOSH, BTON, C-FLINK, CIG, CHINA CLOUD ELECTRO OPTICS, CHUANGYOU TELECOMMUNICATION, COHERENT, CREALIGHTS, EOPTOLINK, ETERN, ETU-LINK, EVERPROX, FAST PHOTONICS, FLYIN, H3C, HG TECH, HI-OPTEL, HISILICON, HYPER PHOTONIX, K-HIRAGAWA, KEPTECK, LIGENT TECHNOLOGIES, LINKTEL, LITUREX, LONTE, LUXSHARE, MACROCHIP, MTC RUIGU, OPTPRAY, O-NET, PHOGRAIN, PIOSEED, POTRON, QSTAR-LINK, QXP TECHNOLOGIES, REALSEA, RUIJIE NETWORKS, RUID ELE-TECH, SDG INFORMATION, SHANHAI, SHAOXING ZKTEL, SINTAI, SONT TECHNOLOGIES, SOURCE PHOTONICS, SUNSTAR, SURINNO PHOTONICS, TACLINK, TERABITCOM, TFC, TOPCOM, TRI-LIGHT, WANDTEC, WASION, WINDWILL, WOLONG, XINWEIDU, YONGXINFENG, ZKOSEMI, ZTT, and others.

*List in alphabetical order.

Semiconductor Equipment Clears the Path for “x”PO Deployment

Breakthroughs in advanced packaging equipment — in terms of silicon photonics integration precision and reliability — are clearing obstacles to “x”PO deployment. PRECISION has successfully completed sampling validation of the world’s first OCS based on silicon photonics CMOS technology, using its self-developed Loong Fluxless TCB (fluxless thermocompression bonding) equipment, in collaboration with a leading global OCS developer. ASMPT’s AMICRA NANO (sub-micron placement solution, ±0.2μm accuracy), AMICRA NOVA (high-speed photonics placement solution, ±1μm accuracy), and MEGA fully automatic high-precision multi-chip placement solution are specifically designed for co-packaged optics assembly and silicon photonics integration applications. Microview Intelligent’ s MV series high-precision die bonders have been delivered in volume to leading domestic optical module and IDM manufacturers for precision Chip-on-Submount assembly in optical modules and co-packaged optical engines.

Featured Exhibitors: ACCURACY, ACCURACY INTELLIGENT, ADT, AIT PRECISION, ALL-SEMI, ASMPT, ASTRO PLASMA, ATTACH POINT, BOZHON SEMICONDUCTOR, CKZN, COLIBRI, E-GLOBALEDGE, ENERGY INTELLIGENT, EXFO, FINETECH, GKG PRECISION, GLRH, GOOGOL TECH, HEYAN, HUACHUANG INTELLIGENT, ISMC, JEOL, JINGCHUANG ADVANCE, KEYANG SEMICONDUCTOR, LASER X, LIEQI INTELLIGENT, MICROVIEW INTELLIGENT, MINGSEAL, MPI, MRSI (MYCRONIC GROUP), MKS, OXFORD INSTRUMENTS, PIC, PRECISE ELECTRONICS, PRECISION, PRIMARIUS, QUICK SEMICONDUCTOR, RAITH, SAMCO, SEMC, SEMIGHT INSTRUMENTS, SENTECH, SINOBONDER, TECDIA, THERLICON, THAHOO PHOTOELECTRIC, TZTEK, UIGREEN MICRO&NANO, ULTRA PRECISION, XINGQIHANG AUTOMATION, YOSHINAGA SHOJI, ZHICUBIC, ZHONGKE JINGHE, and others.

*List in alphabetical order.

From the low-power advantages of LPO to the long-term promise of CPO and the pragmatic balance of XPO, “x”PO technologies are reshaping the optical interconnect landscape for AI data centers. Taking place on September 9-11, 2026, at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center, the CIOE - Information and Communication Expo will showcase key elements including CW lasers, EMLs, VCSELs, silicon photonics chips, linear driver chips, 1.6T/3.2T high-speed optical modules, CPO/LPO/XPO solutions, and advanced packaging and testing equipment. We sincerely invite global industry professionals to attend this annual gathering of optical interconnect technology this September! >>>Get your free pass

More information, please visit https://www.cioe.cn/en/Opticalcomm.html

Media Contact

Carrie Wu

Carrie.wu@cioe.cn