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CPO

CPO: Co-Packaged Optics

Optical interconnect technology for next-generation AI and hyperscale data center networks

What it is

Co-Packaged Optics integrates optical engines close to, or within the same package as, high-capacity switch ASICs to reduce electrical reach, power consumption, and signal-loss challenges.

Why it matters

CPO is viewed as a potential path to higher bandwidth density and improved energy efficiency as AI clusters, cloud fabrics, and data center interconnects scale toward 51.2T, 102.4T, and beyond.

Key drivers

AI clusters
Power efficiency
Bandwidth density
Switch scaling

Technical focus

CPO development spans optical engines, switch ASIC packaging, external laser sources, thermal design, serviceability, standards work, and migration paths from pluggable optics.

Market context

The industry continues to evaluate where CPO fits alongside advanced pluggables, linear pluggable optics, near-packaged optics, and silicon photonics-based interconnect architectures.

Converge Digest tracks CPO as part of its ongoing coverage of optical networking, AI infrastructure, silicon photonics, data center switching, and next-generation interconnect technologies.