Samtec and Nubis Communications have jointly developed active copper and optical channel and cable solutions for use in advanced AI data-centers and communication networks. Active optical and active copper channels extend the reach of optical and copper signals respectively. These are combination of electromechanical, optical interconnect and modules build out of silicon photonics ICs and high speed Serdes semiconductors. Nubis and Samtec are supporting a new category: CPX, which is a common, interoperable footprint for co-packaged copper and optics. CPX allows per-link choice of optics or copper in AI datacenter infrastructure.
Samtec's Si-Fly HD Co-Packaged CPX socket paired with Nubis Communications made 200G per lane silicon photonics IC named Puma. Puma’s compact design enables dense optical modules mounted on the Si-Fly HD Co-Packaged CPX socket which mates directly to the Si-Fly HD Co-Packaged CPX terminal providing 6.4T optical performance. Compared to conventional optical transceivers, the direct connection of the optics to the electrical connector greatly improves signal integrity, a key challenge at 224 Gbps speeds. This enables a highly optimized low-power 6.4T optical solution. Puma provides 16 integrated transmitters and 16 receivers at 224 Gbps data rate with beachfront density of 1 Tbps/mm enabled by specially designed high-density Mach-Zehnder (MZ) modulators help in achieving 60GHz performance and provide the yield, reliability, and industry standards compliance consistent with MZ modulators.
“Samtec’s Si-Fly HD co-packaged and near-chip systems provide the highest density 224 Gbps PAM4 solution in today's market. In AI clustering, enabling flexibility between copper and optics provides an architectural advantage, increased reach, and improved performance,” said Jignesh Shah, Technologist at Samtec. “We are pleased to collaborate with Nubis due to their groundbreaking, industry-leading 200G/lane CPO silicon photonics technology. Together, Nubis and Samtec bring the advantages of copper and optics interoperability, enabling architecture flexibility and rapid optical deployment in AI cluster networks.”
“Nubis’ silicon photonics and 3D packaging allows us to build the smallest optical engines in the world. By partnering with Samtec, we can fit 200G per lane optics in the same footprint as 200G per lane high-density passive copper,” explained Peter Winzer, Nubis founder and CTO. “This greatly lowers the barrier to adoption and is a major breakthrough for co-packaged optics.”
Samtec showing Si-Fly HD near-chip configurations operating at 224 Gbps; Samtec's Bulls Eye 90GHz ISI Evaluation Board; Samtec’s OCP OAI EXP Module equipped with sixteen 25Gx4 FireFly optical transceivers; and a 112 Gbps PAM4 demonstration incorporating Samtec's new Halo optical and copper systems at OFC 2025 Exhibition to be held in San Francisco, CA, US during April 1-3, 2025.
Samtec said it will unveil an active channel demonstration with its another technical partner Broadcom, introducing the capabilities of the new Si-Fly HD co-packaged cable assemblies to Samtec Flyover OSFP over the new Samtec Eye Speed Hyper Low Skew twinax cable. This evaluation platform incorporates Broadcom’s industry-leading 200G SerDes technology and Samtec’s co-packaged Flyover technology. Samtec claims its Si-Fly HD CPC offers the industry’s highest footprint density and robust interconnect which enables 102.4T (512 lanes at 200G) in a 95 x 95 mm chip substrate.
Specific Si-Fly Products
Si-Fly LP (Low Profile):
Specs: 112 Gbps PAM4, 4.35 mm mated height, 8 or 16 pair configurations (4 or 8 channels).
Features: Ultra-low profile allows placement adjacent to IC packages or under cooling hardware. Uses Samtec’s Eye Speed low-loss twinax cable.
Use Case: PCIe 6.0/CXL 3.2 applications, ideal for tight spaces in AI compute racks.
Si-Fly HD (High Density):
Specs: 224 Gbps PAM4, 10 mm mated height, up to 64 differential pairs per square inch (4, 6, or 8 row options).
Features: Co-packaged or near-chip solution with Eye Speed AIR cable (ultra-low skew, foamed dielectric). Highest density copper interconnect Samtec offers.
Use Case: Direct ASIC-to-front-panel or backplane links in hyperscale data centers.
