Next Generation Optical Components and Solutions

Co-packaged optics (CPO), by merging optics and electronics, brings about a revolution in data center design, significantly enhancing power efficiency and bandwidth density. As the demand for higher bandwidth data processing capabilities increases with the rise of applications such as AI and machine learning, CPO technology offers a scalable solution that can adapt to these evolving needs. Learn more about co-packaged optics here.

Corning and Broadcom have collaborated to develop this white paper, which delves into insights and expertise, with a specific focus on the emerging field of co-packaged optics. The revolutionary CPO technology is reshaping high-bandwidth switches and distributed-computing hardware in data centers. The paper explores the design and handling practices developed over decades to ensure high reliability when using optical fibers, with a specific focus on emerging CPO designs. It also discusses challenges that manufacturers may face in adapting to this new infrastructure, particularly in terms of reliability and deployment. Download the whitepaper today to gain a deeper knowledge to navigate the complexities of CPO and harness its potential in your data center architecture.

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Enhance Performance by Reducing Multi-Path Interference in Short-Length Architectures

In the compact environments of co-packaged optics (CPO) architectures, traditional bend-resilient fibers can encounter significant multi-path interference (MPI) in lengths under 2 meters. Corning's CPO FlexConnect™ single-mode fiber is engineered to overcome these challenges.

Key Benefits:

• Superior Bend Performance: Outperforms our SMF-28^® Ultra fiber in bend resilience, ensuring optimal functionality in tight packaging conditions.
• Reduced MPI Penalty: Specifically designed to minimize MPI in short lengths, enhancing overall system performance.
• Optimal Coupling Compatibility: Features a 9.2 µm mode field diameter at 1310 nm to ensure seamless coupling and reduced insertion loss.

Corning CPO FlexConnect fiber is the ideal solution for optical and mechanical designers seeking to address bend and MPI challenges in short-length, co-packaged optics within the O-band.

Download our Specification sheet to learn more!

The growing demand for data and the challenges faced by data centers, such as reducing power consumption and cost per bit, have increased the significance of Corning’s co-packaged optics (CPO). CPO, which involves integrating optical components into switch boxes, holds great potential in addressing these challenges. While progress has been made in developing electronic components for CPO, the successful implementation of CPO also depends on the design and development of optical system solutions. Specifically, optimizing the complete optical system requires tailored optical components and effective management of the fiber within the switch box. Corning is a key component to the innovation and adaptation of CPO and Fiber-to-the-Chip (FTTC) on-board connectivity technology. 

Managing waveguides plays a crucial role in co-packaged optics. The fiber array unit (FAU), responsible for aligning fibers to waveguides, becomes more critical in CPO applications. Achieving low coupling losses requires tight positional tolerances and well-centered cores. Higher-fiber-count FAUs, such as those with 32 or 64 fibers, are needed to accommodate the higher densities in CPO. Manufacturing FAUs for CPO should consider polarization maintaining fiber (PMF) orientation and polarization extinction ratio (PER) maintenance, while retaining the high intrinsic reliability of the fiber. Experience in manufacturing FAUs for telecom settings can be advantageous due to similarities between CPO and telecom applications.