As optical connections work their way deeper into the data center, a debate is underway. Is it better to use pluggable optical modules or to embed las

Will Co-Packaged Optics Replace Pluggables?

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2021-10-19 15:00:28

As optical connections work their way deeper into the data center, a debate is underway. Is it better to use pluggable optical modules or to embed lasers deep into advanced packages? There are issues of convenience, power, and reliability driving the discussion, and an eventual winner isn’t clear yet.

“The industry is definitely embracing co-packaged optics,” said James Pond, principal product manager for photonics at Ansys. “The reason it’s going to come is not necessarily to replace data center transceivers, but to enable everything else that people want to be able to do.”

Pluggable optics are the default today based on their use for long-haul optics. Co-packaged optics (CPO) hold some promise, but that technology needs to overcome reliability concerns before it can be fully embraced. Once it achieves commercial status, it may usher in new applications rather than displacing pluggables.

For many years, the predominant application for optics has been for long-haul communications. “Optical transceivers probably wouldn’t have taken off in the same way without something like pluggable transceivers,” said Pond.

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