From September 9 to 11, the 27th China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE) was held at the Shenzhen World Exhibition & Convention Center (Bao'an New Hall). Official data shows that on the first day, 101,741 visitors entered the venue, a year-on-year increase of 38%, with overseas visitors growing by 17%.
But to understand why this edition of the expo is "hot," looking at foot traffic is useless; you have to look at the exhibits. The true protagonist of the Information and Communication Pavilion this year can be summarized in one phrase—moving optical engines closer to the chips.
1.6T pluggable modules have entered mass production, and 3.2T has entered sampling and verification; this is the "basic disk" of the industry. Around the question of "can we get even closer," three routes are firing simultaneously on the exhibition floor:
01. Optical Modules and System OEMs: One Manufacturer Bets on All Three Lines, the Biggest Feature of This Edition
HGTECH (HGGenuine): Full Coverage of LPO/NPO/CPO/XPO, 1.6T Power Consumption Comparison Board Becomes the "Most Straightforward Exhibit"
The domestic manufacturer with the biggest moves this edition, bar none. The most worthwhile thing to see on the booth is not a single module, but a display board covered with glass—five 1.6T modules lying side by side in the 1.6T row, all called 1.6T, with power consumption dropping all the way from 43W to 10W:
Three under the same conditions (all 2×DR4, all eight 200G lanes, all running 500 meters, only subtracting on the DSP): FRO 24W → LRO 17W → LPO 10W. HGGenuine's 1.6T OSFP LPO module officially claims power consumption below 10W, featuring both TP2/TP4 performance, and has secured batch orders in overseas markets, with small batch orders advancing for domestic customers.
NPO Line—Live dynamic demonstration of the 6.4T NPO near-package optical engine, fully running real data flows to verify signal integrity, power consumption, and engineering capabilities. Adopting a DSP-free silicon photonics architecture, 32-channel 212.5G PAM4 electrical interface, single-mode fiber transmission distance up to 500 meters, compatible with IEEE 802.3dj and CMIS 5.3 protocols.
CPO Line—Live dynamic demonstration of the 3.2T CPO optical engine: in-house silicon photonics platform + 16-channel transceiver integrated silicon photonics microring chip (200G per lane, bandwidth density exceeding 3Tbps/mm) + TGV glass substrate 2.5D advanced packaging + second-generation DWDM ELSFP external light source based on quantum dot optical frequency comb lasers,整机 power consumption below 5.5W, complying with OIF-ELSFP-02.0, OIF-Co-Packaging-3.2T-Module-01.0, and CW-WDM-MSA international standards.
XPO Line—Live dynamic demonstration of the 12.8T XPO ultra-high-density pluggable liquid-cooled optical module, single module bandwidth 12.8Tbps, rack bandwidth density increased by 4 times compared to traditional 1.6T, natively integrating liquid cooling. HGGenuine is a founding member of the XPO MSA. Additionally, the second-generation single-lane 400G optical engine (rate ≥420Gbps PAM4) and the world's smallest packaged 100G optical module solution were exhibited.
Huawei: LPO Already on Super Nodes, NPO Focuses on 7.2T Built-in Light Source
Huawei placed the evolution path of "pluggable to near-package" at the very front of its booth: the 800G SR8 VCSEL LPO Nebula optical module, paired with the Atlas 950 A5 super node. After removing the traditional oDSP, the latency per module drops from the hundreds of nanoseconds to the tens of nanoseconds, a reduction of over 90%, power consumption is saved by about60%, and it supports Nebula Smart Inspection based on a linear architecture (minute-level dirt/false connection detection, centimeter-level positioning); the same generation also includes a DPO/eSR version supporting 150m, overall emphasizing "multimode VCSEL + system-level synergy" rather than the conventional route of single-mode silicon photonics LPO.
NPO is Huawei's heaviest part this edition: on-site display of the 7.2T NPO optical engine/module, in the form of 36 channels, 200G per channel, totaling 7.2T; HiSilicon's corresponding Hi-ONE solution is a 36×224G silicon photonics NPO, adopting SiN-SOI monolithic integration of active/passive devices, and built-in high-temperature resistant III-V CW lasers, bypassing the challenges of external light sources, polarization-maintaining fibers, and high-precision alignment coupling; there are also 51.2T NPO switches and 3.2T VCSEL NPO (32×112G, about 24W) for rack/switches to conduct cross-vendor NPO-pluggable interoperability demonstrations, focusing on higher bandwidth density, latency reduced to the nanosecond level, and整机 power consumption reduced by 20%+ compared to pluggable solutions.
Accelink Technologies: World's First 6.4T Silicon Photonics Single-Mode NPO, and Breaking Down CPO into "Three Major Components"
World's first 6.4T silicon photonics single-mode NPO optical engine, adopting a 32×200G architecture, 2.5D Flip-Chip packaging, targeting AI cluster Scale-up scenarios. Its 3.2T silicon photonics single-mode NPO module was already globally launched at OFC 2026 and has currently completed full-system verification at leading domestic CSP manufacturers.
This edition includes the new-generation CPO co-packaged optical interconnect solution in the global debut lineup, and systematically provides the three core components of CPO:
Optical Engine (the "brain" of CPO): Silicon photonics integration and coupling packaging, integrating modulators, waveguides, and detectors inside the optical engine, ensuring signal integrity at 3.2T and even higher rates.
Fiber Shuffle Box (the "blood vessels" of CPO): Possessing PLC and passive polarization-maintaining processing advantages, supporting over 400-core FA processing; self-developed Mini MT 12/16-core connectors, saving over 70% space compared to traditional MPO; providing three solutions: fiber management BOX, 2D flexible board, and 3D matrix wiring.
ELSFP (the "heart" of CPO): High-power light source externally placed on the switch panel, "optical-electrical same port" design achieving physical separation of the light source and optical engine, 8 optical channels, single channel output power greater than 20dBm, realizing up to 32-channel silicon photonics light source input, full temperature range (0-70℃) module overall power consumption less than 10W, it is an independently replaceable "hot-swappable unit" in the CPO system.
Coherent: 6.4T "Slot-in" CPO, Adding a Pluggable Socket to Co-Packaged Optics
The overseas manufacturer with the most complete solution, high-speed interconnects within the rack simultaneously covering silicon photonics, VCSEL multimode, and InP three routes, the exhibition signal is very clear:
6.4T Slot-in CPO (silicon photonics 32×200G, equipped with ELS external light source + InP CW laser)—the biggest highlight is "slot-in." Traditional CPO co-packages the optical engine and switch chip; once the optical device fails, the entire motherboard may be scrapped. Coherent makes the optical engine into an independently pluggable form, retaining the power consumption and bandwidth density advantages of CPO while compatible with data center O&M habits, regarded by the industry as a key step in the engineering landing of CPO.
1.6T VCSEL NPO (multimode solution, targeting short-reach low-cost within the rack)
12.8T XPO (impacting ultra-high density while maintaining maintainability)
Accompanying exhibits include external pluggable high-power CW light source modules, silicon photonics microlens arrays, and polarization-maintaining fibers.
Innolight (Subsidiary TeraHop): Pluggable, NPO, and CPO Three Routes Coexist Long-term
Exhibited the full series of 1.6T/800G optical modules, 3.2T NPO, 6.4T NPO, and 12.8T XPO, with on-site demonstration of the 800G ZR+ OSFP coherent optical module based on 2nm DSP—this is the first public demonstration of its 3.2T NPO solution at a domestic exhibition.
On the technical route, it adopts "silicon photonics + thin-film lithium niobate + quantum dots" composite devices, supporting both PAM4 and coherent modulation. Its NPO has a differentiated design worth noting: adopting a built-in CW light source solution (over 100mW), no need for polarization-maintaining fibers, and cooperating with the Chinese Academy of Sciences to introduce graphene and diamond heat dissipation materials.
The company explicitly states that pluggable, NPO, and CPO three routes will coexist long-term, NPO deployment can be realized in the second half of 2027, and 1.6T orders are already scheduled until 2027-2028.
Eoptolink: The World's First Manufacturer to Mass Produce LPO, Holding About 75% Share in the LPO Sub-track
The LPO line is the biggest label—the world's first manufacturer to mass produce LPO, 800G LPO has been shipped in batches to North American cloud vendors, holding about 75% market share in the LPO sub-track; 1.6T adopts a 3nm DSP combined with the LPO solution, reducing power consumption by over 50% compared to traditional solutions, the gross profit margin of 800G LPO modules reaches 45%, and the LPO solution is undergoing continuous long-cycle stability testing with overseas customers.
XPO/NPO Line—Industry's first launch of 12.8T XPO: 64 channels, 200Gbps per channel, realizing 204.8Tbps front panel density in a compact 4RU rack (a 4-fold increase over existing 1.6T OSFP), integrating cold plates with each module supporting up to 400W heat dissipation capacity, supporting three forms: linear, semi-retimed, and fully retimed; Eoptolink is a founding member of the XPO MSA. This edition also exhibited 1.6T DR8/2×FR4/4×FR2, the full series of 800G, and 3.2T/6.4T NPO.
Source Photonics (Dongshan Precision): 3.2T CPO Optical Engine + Self-developed EML/CW Chips
Exhibited the 3.2T CPO optical engine, DWDM ELSFP external light source, and 6.4T NPO silicon photonics solution, simultaneously displaying the new 12.8T XPO product, as well as 200G EML optical chips and CW-DFB continuous wave chips.
There is a detail on the booth that clearly illustrates the industrial rules of the CPO/NPO era: its NPO optical engine samples must first be delivered to equipment manufacturers like Arista, integrated and assembled with Broadcom switch chips, and then supplied to overseas cloud vendors like Google—"It's useless if we just make it; this thing must match the equipment manufacturers." Currently, the company is accelerating capacity expansion, and the total project investment has been adjusted to USD 1.7 billion.
Luxshare Technology (Luxshare Precision): 3.2T NPO Optical Engine and 448G CPC Synchronized Live Demo
3.2T NPO Optical Engine Live Demo: First展示 on-site at the exhibition. The solution is launched referencing the OIF 3.2T CPO packaging standard, with a single engine total bandwidth of 3.2Tbps, adopting a 32-channel 100G PAM4 design, equipped with an MZ modulator silicon photonics solution, operating wavelength 1310nm, maximum power consumption 26W, the external light source module greatly improves maintainability, adaptable to 51.2T/102.4T NPO switch platforms and super node GPU servers.
448G CPC Ultra-high-speed Interconnect Live Demo: New-generation co-packaged copper interconnect solution, based on PAM4 modulation, achieving stable transmission over 1.5-meter copper cable distance, operating frequency up to 106GHz, supporting over 90GHz bandwidth, currently supporting single-channel 3.2T and 6.4T total bandwidth; the Xuanyuan platform interconnect interface family fully supports 448G and reserves 896G evolution capabilities.
Xuanyuan 3.0 System-level Component Solution: First completely displayed in the form of an ORW standard rack, integrating high-speed interconnects, thermal management, and power management, supporting large-scale GPU cluster deployment.
Ligent Technologies (Under Hisense): 12.8T XPO Uses TFLN Modulator, Power Consumption Within 80W Under LPO Architecture
Launched the 12.8T XPO demonstration prototype equipped with a thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) modulator, achieving stable transmission at 200G/lane and reserving upgrade space for 400G/lane, with power consumption controlled within 80W under the LPO linear direct-drive architecture. Simultaneously exhibited 6.4T NPO, 3.2T NPO, 400mW ultra-high-power ELSFP (live demonstration, one of the highest power external light source solutions exhibited this edition), and 1.6T DR4.
CIG: 800G LPO Progress First Among A-shares, Earliest Echelon in CPO Layout
Exhibited 1.6T OSFP 2×DR/FR4, 1.6T OSFP 2×DR4 LPO/LRO, 6.4T NPO 8×DR4, and ELSFP modules. The company's capacity of 800,000 units/month is at full production, 800G LPO progress is first among A-shares, and it is one of the earliest manufacturers in the CPO layout echelon.
Linktel Technologies: FRO, LPO, LRO Three Lines Parallel, No Single Bet
Exhibited the full series of 1.6T LRO/LPO/FRO, 6.4T/7.2T NPO, and 12.8T XPO. Deng Tianming, Deputy General Manager of the Data Communication Division, stated that the company is not making a single bet on the 800G and 1.6T product lines, but advancing three solutions simultaneously, and has currently launched relatively mature LPO and LRO solutions; the biggest difficulty in linear driving is signal integrity, the key lies in joint simulation design with equipment customers and early multi-round actual measurement iterations.
Regarding XPO, Linktel is a founding member of the XPO MSA, supporting 400W heat dissipation through a patented cold plate design, realizing about 4 times interface density in the same space. Regarding NPO, 6.4T is being jointly debugged and verified with leading customers, and small batch samples are expected to be released in the first quarter of next year.
Lightelligence: NPO Dynamic Demonstration, CPO Prototype Debut
The world's first silicon photonics AI chip stock, this edition集中 displayed full-stack optical interconnect products and specially set up an optical computing display area:
NPO: Live dynamic demonstration of the 3.2T NPO silicon photonics chip (16-lane 53/106Gbaud modulators + detectors, single-chip integration, adopted by multiple customer designs, commercialization is imminent); exhibited the 6.4T NPO solution (Driver/TIA integrated in packaging with 32-channel silicon photonics chip). NPO adopts linear direct-drive, DSP-free, reducing power consumption and cost, realizing end-to-end low latency, used for switch/server-side Scale-up super nodes.
CPO: Jointly exhibited the 51.2T CPO switch prototype, silicon photonics optical engine + advanced packaging; pluggable light source, 2+2 power redundancy, 7+1 fan redundancy; 4U chassis, 128×400G DR4;整机 power consumption reduced by 30%, optical interconnect power consumption saved by 60%.
Its CPO solution has reached a strategic cooperation with Centec Communications, equipped with domestic switch chips, the optical engine adopts domestic silicon photonics processes and advanced packaging technologies, and is currently conducting concept verification based on the next-generation switch ASIC, the required optical chiplets have entered the tape-out stage.
Nvision: 6.4T CPO Optical Engine "Debut", 3D Packaging + Fully Domestic Supply Chain
The new force in domestic silicon photonics debuted this edition, launching five products at once, covering silicon photonics PIC chips, WDM light source chips, NPO/CPO optical engines, and OIO optical engines:
6.4T CPO Optical Engine: Operating at 1310nm O-band, adopting 3D advanced packaging to integrate PIC and EIC, integrating 16-channel TX and RX, supporting single-channel 224Gbps PAM4, 1-to-4 external laser input, edge coupling and passive coupling, complying with UPO/DORA/OPEN CPX and other specifications.
1.6T DR8 Silicon Photonics Chip: Based on MZM architecture, single-channel 224Gbps, over 500m single-mode transmission at 1310nm.
3.2T NPO Silicon Photonics Chip, OIO Optical Engine (multi-channel microring MRM photonic integration).
Full-stack domestic supply chain, founder Nie Hui judges that "2026 is the critical window period for silicon photonics mass production landing and CPO batch commercialization."
Crealights Technology: 6.4T NPO Silicon Photonics Module Debuts at the Exhibition
Silicon photonics modules, 1.6T, and the 6.4T NPO high-speed optical interconnect solution were集中 displayed, among which the 6.4T NPO silicon photonics module is a new product debuted at this exhibition, targeting high-speed interconnect scenarios for AI computing clusters. Its 6.4T NPO optical engine has a total throughput of 6.4T, single-channel 106.25GBd compatible with 3.2T systems, adopting 2.5D flip-chip multi-chip integration (integrating silicon photonics chips, DRV, TIA, AFE, and MCU), equipped with 50+GHz MZM modulators and 55+GHz integrated SiGe detectors.
FIT (Foxconn Interconnect Technology): ELSFP External Light Source + 224G NPO Socket
Exhibited a complete layout covering 1.6T high-speed optical modules, ELSFP external laser source modules, and XPO high-density connection solutions, demonstrating the direction from high-speed optical modules towards optical, electrical, and thermal integration. Addressing the AI network's demand for high bandwidth density and efficient heat dissipation, it simultaneously displayed the 224G NPO Socket solution for AI server racks, pushing optical-electrical connections further closer to the computing chips.
PhotonicX AI: Optical IO Chiplet Joint Exhibition
PhotonicX AI (at the Visionary Optics booth) exhibited AI computing optical IO chiplets, NPO/CPO high-speed optical-electrical chiplets. This time重点 demonstrated the optical IO chiplet prototype solution for direct connection between GPUs. Company CEO Xie Chongjin delivered a keynote speech at the industry conference, sharing the technical path and industrial prospects of optical IO chiplets in AI computing interconnects. The GPU direct connection scenario pointed to by the optical IO chiplet prototype solution developed by the company is precisely the most anticipated imagination space for AI computing interconnects.
02. Optical Chips and Electrical Chips: In the Single-lane 400G Era, "DSP Removal" Forces Chip Upgrades
As optical modules evolve from pluggable to LPO/NPO/CPO, the technical requirements for electrical chips shift from traditional amplification and reception to high bandwidth, high linearity, low noise, and on-chip signal compensation, and the value of SerDes IP and linear analog front-ends (TIA/Driver) significantly increases.
Semtech: 224G Linear TIA + MZM Driver, One Set of Chips Covers LRO/LPO/XPO/NPO/CPO
Launched two products consecutively this edition, the "universal ammunition depot" for linear optics:
Single-lane 224G linear TIA and driver product combination (GN1838L / GN42T380 linear octal TIA, GN42M380 MZM driver), supporting 1.6T to 12.8T optical engines, complying with CEI-224G-Linear and LPO-MSA standards, specifically designed for LRO, LPO, XPO, NPO, and CPO five linear interconnect applications, capable of maintaining link integrity while removing high-power consumption DSPs.
Industry's first 10G PON chipset for three-generation coexistence 50G OLT modules.
Everbright Photonics: Three New High-speed Optical Communication Laser Chips Released
Held the "Where the Heart Goes, Where the Light Reaches" new product launch conference at the communication booth, launching three high-speed optical communication laser chips targeting AI computing centers, covering the mainstream 800G/1.6T technical routes:
BH structure 70mW CW DFB chip
400mW CW DFB high-power chip
200G EML electro-absorption modulated laser chip
Its 70mW/100mW/200mW CW DFB series is specifically optimized for silicon photonics modules, CPO, and other advanced packaging scenarios. Deputy General Manager Wu Zhenlin delivered the speech "The Path of Domestic Substitution and Capacity Breakthrough for InP Optical Chips," systematically analyzing the four major hurdles facing domestic substitution: product development difficulty, capacity construction cycle, yield improvement, and customer verification introduction.
InSiGa Semiconductor Technology: The Industry's Only 3nm Process 1.6T NPO Chipset
Released the new 1.6T NPO chipset product (ISG-D9680 MZ laser driver + ISG-T9780 linear TIA), currently the only NPO chipset using 3nm process on the market, directly targeting the extreme requirements of linear interconnects for low power consumption and high linearity.
Henan Shijia Photons Technology: CPO High-channel FAU Already in Small Batch Shipment, CW Light Source 100mW Batch / 400mW Small Batch
Possesses passive + active dual IDM chip platforms:
Passive: Full series PLC optical splitter chips, multi-specification AWG chips and modules (1.6T AWG chips have achieved small batch shipment), VOA, OSW, WDM, VMUX, OCM, EDFA, etc.; exhibited AWG optical components, MT-FA optical components, and FAU optical components targeting 100G-1.6T high-speed optical modules.
High-channel FAU products applied to CPO have achieved small batch shipment, the company specially established a special FAU product line.
Active: Full-process capability for DFB, EML, SOA, RSOA, SLD, MOPA, and other laser chips, wavelength coverage 1260nm~1700nm; 100mW CW has been shipped in batches, 400mW and other specifications in small batch shipment; exhibited 500mW 1310nm high-power DFB chips.
O-Link: Full-stack Layout from Lithography Machine to 3.2T NPO Optical Engine
Global debut of the "Zhiwei" ZW1000 silicon photonics maskless programmable lithography machine, built to address the mass production yield bottleneck of microring modulators; simultaneously released the domestic first "Guangchi" GC1000 microring solution 3.2T NPO optical engine and the domestic first "Guangqi" GQ1000 8-inch GaAs quantum dot wafer, forming full-stack capabilities from underlying materials, chips, optical engines to manufacturing equipment.
Siluxtek & GlobalFoundries: 300mm Silicon Photonics Platform, 200G/λ Verified
Siluxtek held the "Next-generation High-speed Optical Interconnect under Tau Scaling Law" technical seminar during CIOE. Core highlights:
GlobalFoundries 45SPCLO silicon photonics platform: Mature 300mm mass production platform, 200G/λ verified, 400G/λ path clear, supporting TSV solutions, targeting pluggable/NPO/OIO/CPO various applications.
Siluxtek SCALE™ CPO optical engine solution, 1.6T DR8 Tx PIC: 200G/Lane, 8 channels, edge coupling, modulator bandwidth >55GHz@2V.
Corning shared "Design Considerations for Optical Connectivity in Co-Packaged Optics (CPO)," and Senko Advanced Components shared "From ELS, XPU to Panel System Optical Connections."
PHOGRAIN Technology / FastPhide / TuringQ: Intensive Release of Single-lane 400G Devices
PHOGRAIN Technology: Officially released the 400Gbps back-illuminated PIN photodiode (PIN PD) chip, providing core receiving devices for next-generation high-speed optical transceiver modules.
FastLin: Officially released and publicly exhibited for the first time the single-lane 400G InP-based MUTC-PD chip sample, targeting the receiving end of 3.2T high-speed optical modules, adopting a back-illuminated coupling design.
TuringQ: Launched the single-lane 400G thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) modulator chip, 3dB bandwidth >110GHz, drive voltage only 1-2V, compatible with single-channel 200G PAM4, matching 1.6T DR4 and 3.2T DR8.
XIAMEN UX IC（UXIC） / 3peak: Simultaneous Positioning on the Analog and Electrical Chip Side
UXIC: As optical modules evolve towards LPO/NPO/CPO, the technical requirements for electrical chips shift to high bandwidth, high linearity, low noise, and on-chip signal compensation, and the value of SerDes IP and linear analog front-ends increases.
3peak: Disclosed that its CPO/NPO co-packaged optics and ELSFP two complete solutions have both completed customer verification, which can help customers compress R&D cycles.
03. Optical Devices and Precision Coupling: In the CPO Era, Coupling Precision Directly Determines Yield
CPO/NPO requirements for optical devices are far higher than traditional pluggables, the core lies in high-precision coupling, arrayization, and polarization stability—coupling equipment value accounts for about40% of the production line, which is the fundamental reason for the value leap in this link.
TFC: CPO "Water Seller", FAU + Optical Engine + ELS Three-piece Set
In CPO business, it mainly provides three types of products: OE components (optical engines), CPO-specific FAUs, and ELS external laser source modules, and is one of the few global manufacturers with full-process one-stop delivery capability for optical engines (precision optical coating → precision processing → coupling packaging → testing).
Taking a complete set of 115.2T first-generation CPO整机 supporting solution as an example, the complete equipment includes 72 sets of optical engines, 72 FAU devices, and 18 sets of ELS module CW light source units (each set of ELS integrates 8 CW light sources):
FAU: Internally equipped with microlens modules, the MT end face adopts MMC ultra ferrule structure.
Silicon Photonics PIC Packaging: Undertaken by TSMC, TFC is responsible for subsequent high-precision optical path coupling processing.
ELS Module: Completed wafer fab process transfer in early 2026, integrating CW light sources, polarization-maintaining fibers, and isolators, belonging to external light source small optical modules.
The company's 1.6T optical engine is already in mass production, and new products such as FAU and ELS supporting CPO are progressing smoothly. In 2026, the revenue proportion of the OE business has exceeded 30%.
Advanced Fiber Resources: CPO-specific Polarization-maintaining FAU + Thin-film Lithium Niobate Dual-line Layout
Mastering the core technology of TFLN high-speed modulators, it is the only domestic 8-inch TFLN wafer mass production manufacturer, with a yield of 92%+:
96/130Gbaud TFLN coherent driver modulator (130GBaud integrated RF driver, power consumption <3.5W, extinction ratio ≥23dB), 70GHz TFLN MZM modulator.
CPO/OCS fiber arrays, 90° bent fiber arrays, PIC optical interface fiber arrays (subsidiary JHWEIJIE), 2D fiber arrays.
Has launched CPO-specific polarization-maintaining FAUs, 2D fiber arrays, pluggable connectors, and integrated WDM module full sets of passive supporting products, and head cloud vendors' CPO prototypes all import its devices for verification.
Focuslight Technologies: 96-channel V-groove Array, Cumulative Error Controlled Within ±0.5 Microns
Formed a complete layout around key NPO/CPO links:
96-channel V-groove array: Adopting independent intellectual property wafer-level synchronous structuring manufacturing process, synchronously constructing all channels and surface features on the wafer, avoiding the cumulative tolerance of traditional sequential cutting, the cumulative pitch error from the first to the last fiber can be controlled within ±0.5 microns, supporting 36, 40, 96, and more channels, 100% full inspection, and has entered batch verification for multiple customers.
Integrated micro-prism lens array (MPLA): The company's core product completing tens of millions of dollars of technology licensing, responsible for beam shaping and optical path coupling, solving the loss and crosstalk problems of high-speed optical engines.
Fiber coupling lenses, fast/slow axis integrated collimators, aluminum nitride high thermal conductivity substrates (adapting to CW lasers, CPO external light source heat dissipation).
Targeting 1060nm VCSEL short-reach interconnects, launched the PoG microlens array, which can be directly imprinted on VCSEL wafers, reducing single-channel costs.
Tengjing: CPO Optical Solution from ELS External Light Source to FAU, Prism/Lens Array
CPO Optical Interconnect: Covering optical solutions for ELS external light sources, FAUs, and Prism/Lens Array, as well as high-power polarization-maintaining fiber pigtails and high-precision micro-prisms.
High-speed Optical Modules: Glass lenses, silicon lenses, filters, AWG components, Z-Block, optical transceiver components, and possessing COB optical engine packaging capabilities.
OCS: 2D collimator arrays, long working distance low-loss collimators, large-size pure YVO4 crystals, mirrors, prisms, and polarization devices.
Taichen: Polarization-maintaining Fiber + FAU + MT Ferrule + Shuffle
Exhibited FOFC fiber flexible boards, Shuffle, polarization-maintaining fibers, FAUs, MT ferrules, and multi-core fan-in/fan-out devices. In the CPO/NPO architecture, the value of the fiber management link significantly increases. The company is a leader in MPO/MTP high-density fiber connectors, with overseas revenue accounting for over 80%.
Doti Micro Technology: Focusing on 1.6T and CPO Optical Components
Doti Micro Technology exhibited 400G/800G/1.6T supporting CWDM, LWDM, MWDM, FWDM dual-channel filters, optical isolators, and Z-Block integrated components, possessing high-speed WDM filter integrated mass production capabilities. Facing the new generation of NPO/CPO optical interconnects, it displayed OCS optical switching components, aspherical lens arrays, and other micro-nano optical components, having completed pre-R&D and process reserves for CPO supporting optical parts.
04. CPO/NPO Dedicated Fibers: Polarization-maintaining Fiber Transforms from "Niche Special Fiber" to the Star of the Show
After CPO/NPO adopts the external laser solution, the polarization state of ordinary single-mode fibers is easy to drift and deteriorate during transmission, while silicon photonics modulators are highly sensitive to polarization—the entire link from ELSFP to the silicon photonics engine must rely on high-quality polarization-maintaining fibers, making polarization-maintaining fibers a must-have. On September 10, the "famous scene of the two fiber giants unveiling new brands on the same day" occurred.
YOFC: Global Debut of CopackAlign™, Twenty-one Years of Technical Accumulation
During the exhibition, it globally released new polarization-maintaining fiber products and launched the CopackAlign™ brand, which includes two sub-brands: Polalign™ polarization-maintaining fiber and EzAlign™ single-mode fiber. As a paired fiber platform, they are developed under the same set of geometric control systems, ensuring core height consistency comes from structural design rather than screening.
The CopackAlign™ Prime series was simultaneously launched (Polalign™ CUP0012 and EzAlign™ CUE0023), specifically developed in pairs for CPO/NPO optical engine FAUs, realizing mode field matching upgrades and significantly enhanced long-term reliability.
As the only domestic enterprise to achieve formal mass production certification for polarization-maintaining fibers, its solution has been adopted by some global mainstream CPO manufacturers in the link from external light sources to silicon photonics engines, ranking first in domestic market share for five consecutive years.
Executive Director and President Zhuang Dan predicted that the demand for polarization-maintaining fibers will reach 10-fold or even 20-fold growth in the next 1-2 years.
Cignal AI Chief Analyst Scott Wilkinson predicted at the launch conference: by 2030, the annual shipment of global CPO/NPO ports will be close to 35 million, and polarization-maintaining fibers will become the core beneficiary.
Hengtong Optic-Electric: PMFSen™ Brand Debut, Filling the Domestic Industrialization Gap for High-end CPO Polarization-maintaining Fibers
Launched the CPO/NPO special fiber new product PMFSen™ on-site at the exhibition:
Relying on the panda-type stress structure to generate strong birefringence effects, firmly locking the polarization state, effectively resisting bending and temperature disturbances.
Key indicators: 100-meter crosstalk ≤-30dB, beat length ≤4.0mm, filling the domestic industrialization gap for high-end CPO polarization-maintaining fibers.
Adapting to coherent modules, CPO optical engines, and other scenarios, possessing low crosstalk, high consistency, and excellent splicing and grinding performance, meeting 400G-1.6T high-speed optical interconnect needs.
Simultaneously exhibited the ten-thousand-core spiderweb fiber ribbon cable (curvable flexible fiber ribbon + ten-thousand-core level precision bundling, matched with ultra-small VSFF connector pre-termination), and the hollow-core/multi-core connector technology matrix (hollow-core side TEC solution loss 0.2dB-0.6dB as the main force, GRIN splicing solution adapting to high-speed DWDM; multi-core side has four paths: etching method, tapering method, spatial optics, and 3D waveguide chips).
ZTT: Polarization-maintaining Fiber Listed as the Booth's "Fiber Star Product"
Listed polarization-maintaining fiber as a "fiber star product," 100-meter crosstalk ≤-30dB@1310nm; simultaneously exhibited 224G high-speed copper cables, 800G optical modules, and integrated optical-electrical smart connection, green energy smart distribution, and air-liquid同源 computing center solutions.
CYT: Six Major Series Device Polarization-maintaining Fiber New Products
Launched new-generation device polarization-maintaining fibers at a special launch conference, covering six major series, precisely covering all scenarios from general connections to high-density coupling:
Standard Type: Stably adapting to mainstream polarization devices and patch cords.
FAU Type: Specifically built for high-precision multi-core arrays, geometric precision leading the industry.
Bend-resistant Type: R5/R7.5 two specifications, releasing internal wiring space for CPO/NPO.
Thin-diameter Type: 80/165μm, adapting to the trend of integrated and miniaturized packaging.
Key indicators: Grinding cracking rate significantly reduced, 100-meter full-temperature extinction ratio >35dB.
05. Testing and Packaging/Testing Equipment: The True "Choke Point" Link for CPO Mass Production
CPO drives packaging towards higher integration, involving heterogeneous integration of multiple chips such as switch ASICs, silicon photonics PICs, and EICs, and introduces new requirements such as external light sources, FAU high-density coupling, advanced bonding, and system-level testing.
Robotechnik Intelligent Technology (ficonTEC): Scarce Target for Global CPO Coupling and Packaging Equipment
Through the acquisition of the global leader in high-precision coupling and packaging equipment ficonTEC, it has mastered the technology for fully automated packaging and testing equipment for silicon photonics chips and CPO, and is one of the few global manufacturers mass producing silicon photonics double-sided wafer electro-optical testing + fully automated coupling equipment. ficonTEC provides silicon photonics/CPO equipment for head customers such as TSMC, NVIDIA, and Broadcom, is the exclusive supplier of coupling and packaging equipment for Broadcom, and supplies NVIDIA, making it the most recognizable target in the CPO equipment direction.
Longsight Technologies (Subsidiary of XinKaiLai): Three High-end Instruments Released Simultaneously, Compressing 224G LPO Tuning from Two Weeks to 10 Minutes
Launched the "Optical Full-scenario Testing Solution" on-site at the exhibition, covering three levels of the optical industry: devices, modules, and networks, and nine testing scenarios, simultaneously launching three new products:
110GHz Vector Network Analyzer (VAX series): Frequency coverage 10MHz~110GHz, 67GHz frequency point system dynamic range starting at 120dB, up to 147dB, phase noise -128dBc/Hz; self-developed de-embedding and temperature control algorithms; targeting four scenarios: AI high-speed cable connectors, high-speed PCBs, optoelectronic testing, and phased array antennas.
1.6T Network Tester: Single port supports 1.6T,整机 capacity 6.4T, possessing L1-L3 link and traffic simulation capabilities, capable of fault injection and business traffic simulation, compatible with CMIS 5.4, covering over 2,500 testing items, supporting one-click automated execution.
90GHz Optical Modulation Analyzer (OMA): Ultra-large storage 4Gpts/channel, sensitivity ≤-20dBm.
Its 90GHz ultra-high-speed real-time oscilloscope, through intelligent parameter optimization and LPO equalization algorithms, shortens the 224G LPO parameter optimization time from two weeks to 10 minutes.
Ceyear: 1.6T/3.2T High-speed Optical Chip Comprehensive Testing + Polarization-maintaining Fiber Splicer
Brought self-developed core solutions:
1.6T/3.2T high-speed optical chip/optical module comprehensive testing solution: Testing frequency 10MHz~170GHz, light source output 1240nm~1680nm, spectrum testing range 350nm~2500nm, minimum resolution 5pm, supporting single-lane 400G testing, full-stack independent and controllable.
6433QA Optical Wave Component Analyzer: Modulation frequency up to 170GHz, capable of completing electro-optical, opto-electrical, and opto-optical multi-mode testing, empowering CPO/silicon photonics chip verification.
6362 series Spectrum Analyzer: Spectrum range 350nm~2500nm, sensitivity -90dBm, power accuracy ±0.4dB.
6474B Polarization-maintaining Fiber Splicer: Splicing loss ≤0.06dB, extinction ratio ≥38dB, adapting to panda-type, bow-tie type, and elliptical polarization-maintaining fibers, already landed on NPO/CPO external light source production lines.
NPO System-level Verification "Filling the Gap"
HYWICOM debuted the FRAEO 16T2-NPO Network Tester and BERTO Real Business Flow Bit Error Tester, directly pointing at the "testing gap" in 1.6T mass production and NPO system-level verification.
Gechips Tech launched the 102.4T 64×1.6T port Ethernet code stream instrument switch integrated machine optical module testing platform, based on the Broadcom Tomahawk6 chip, integrating high-speed Ethernet switching and traffic testing functions.
In addition, Lianxun Instruments exhibited its full line of silicon photonics and CPO testing, laser chip testing, self-developed core source meters, and other main equipment and complete testing solutions, fully presenting comprehensive testing capabilities from chip-level, device-level to system-level. At the same time, focusing on the two industry hotspots of high-speed interconnects and broadband upgrades, it took real-time photos of the 1.6T high-speed optical module and 50G PON two core solutions at the exhibition site.
In-Cube Automation exhibited optical communication equipment covering key processes from chips to modules: fully automatic bar arrangement/bar removal, chip four-sided AOI (dirt/scratches/chipped edges/film peeling, etc.), dual-temperature chip testing and automatic binning, COB/BOX high-precision die bonding (multi-chip, force control, visual compensation). These capabilities correspond to the process requirements for multi-chip mounting of VCSELs, silicon photonics chips, CW lasers, and optical engines in LPO/NPO optical modules.
06. The Third Light Source Path for CPO: Micro LED CPO Collective Entry
Replacing traditional VCSELs with micro light-emitting diodes as light sources, focusing on 0.5-30 meter short-reach scenarios, matching high-speed interconnects within AI server racks. This edition, multiple enterprises appeared on the same stage, forming a complete chain from materials, chips to system solutions:
Enkris Semiconductor: Exhibited 8-12 inch Si-based GaN Micro LED optical interconnect light source products, realizing 1.6GHz bandwidth at a current density of 500A/cm², power consumption below 1pJ/bit, achieving key breakthroughs jointly with the Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics, CAS, compatible with existing architectures and communication protocols.
StarkSEMI: Exhibited 8-inch silicon-based GaN Micro LED chips, full-color micro-display solutions, and AI computing optical interconnect technology, adopting a vertically integrated IDM model, and is one of the few domestic enterprises with 8-inch silicon-based GaN mass production capabilities.
Raysolve: Launched the Micro-LED optical interconnect verification platform jointly built with partners, presenting on-site the results of high-speed signal transmission through multi-core fibers for multiple Micro-LED channels.
Zhisuanguanglian: Micro-LED short-reach high-speed optical interconnect solution, relying on microlens arrays to constrain the optical path, and photoelectric detection arrays for parallel reception, the entire link gets rid of SerDes and DSP dependence, targeting energy efficiency <1pJ/bit; simultaneously exhibited TGV glass through-via substrate technology (which can embed optical waveguides to realize electro-optical integration), and on-site displayed 400G and 800G optical module finished products based on TGV, with the 1.6T Micro LED optical engine in the customer sampling stage also making an appearance.
Nexilumen: Long-wavelength InGaN Micro LED optical interconnect platform based on diamond substrates, with the transmitting end energy efficiency as low as 0.056pJ/bit at a rate of 1.5Gbps, setting the current lowest power consumption record for Micro LED optical interconnects.
Currently, Micro LED optical interconnects are still in the early verification stage, with single-channel rates mostly at the Gbps level, still a distance from 1.6T/3.2T system-level products, but its potential for low power consumption, high reliability, low cost, and CMOS process compatibility makes it one of the most imaginative routes for short-reach within racks.
07. AI Computing Power Forces Optical Interconnect Iteration
From this CIOE, a clear industrial trend can be seen: AI massive computing power is strongly pulling the iteration of high-speed optical interconnect technology. The industry is no longer betting on a single CPO route; the parallel evolution of multiple technical routes such as LPO, NPO, CPO, and XPO has become an industry consensus.
1.6T pluggables have entered the stage of mass production, 3.2T has completed sampling verification, and 6.4T has realized dynamic demonstrations. Domestic manufacturers have achieved visible breakthroughs in optical engines, silicon photonics chips, high-power CW light sources, polarization-maintaining special fibers, and high-precision coupling testing equipment. However, it must also be objectively seen that moving from "exhibition prototype demonstrations" to large-scale commercialization still requires crossing multiple hurdles such as yield control, cost reduction, system interoperability, and improvement of O&M solutions.
Optical modules are just the surface; the real competition has shifted upstream to optical chips, electrical chips, precision coupling devices, special fibers, and packaging/testing equipment. The next 1-2 years will be a critical cycle for the verification, iteration, and landing of the domestic optical communication industry chain. Whoever can solve the engineering landing problems will get the ticket to the era of high-speed interconnects for AI computing power.
Above the exhibition, we see the technical prototypes; the deep industrial thinking and landing solutions require more sufficient communication and collision within the industry chain.