Deep dive in CPO tech with the launch of 3rd gen 200G/Lane from Broadcom

Broadcom Inc. announced its third-generation co-packaged optics (CPO) technology with 200G per lane capability. The company also highlighted advancements in its second-generation 100G/lane CPO products, noting improvements in OSAT processes, thermal designs, handling procedures, fiber routing, and yield. Broadcom outlined plans for a fourth-generation 400G/lane CPO solution.

The third-generation 200G/lane CPO technology supports high-radix scale-up and scale-out networks for AI applications, enabling domains exceeding 512 nodes. It addresses bandwidth, power, and latency challenges for large-scale AI foundation models, aiming for reliability comparable to copper interconnects. Broadcom’s roadmap involves collaboration with ecosystem partners to integrate CPO solutions for hyperscale data centers and AI workloads, adhering to open standards.

Broadcom’s CPO development started in 2021 with the Tomahawk 4-Humboldt chipset, featuring high-density optical engines, edge coupling, and detachable fiber connectors. The second-generation Tomahawk 5-Bailly chipset was the first volume-production CPO solution, focusing on automated testing and scalable manufacturing.

Ecosystem partners announced milestones: Corning Incorporated is supplying fiber and connector components for the TH5-...