CPO，势不可挡

Core Viewpoint - The transition of data centers to Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) switches is inevitable, primarily driven by the power savings offered by CPO technology [1][2]. Group 1: CPO Technology and Market Trends - CPO technology is gaining traction as it significantly reduces power consumption, with potential savings of 30-50% compared to traditional optical devices [1][2]. - The industry has made substantial progress in CPO reliability over the past two years, making it a viable option for future high-speed data rates [2]. - The upcoming 400G SerDes generation may see CPO as the only feasible choice due to excessive insertion loss from traditional PCB traces and cables [2]. Group 2: Technical Integration of CPO - CPO solutions typically integrate electronic integrated circuits (EIC) and photonic integrated circuits (PIC) within the same package [3]. - Two main integration methods for optical engines within ASIC packages are the silicon interposer approach and the organic substrate approach [4][5]. - The silicon interposer method allows for high-density connections but complicates thermal management due to the proximity of high-power EICs [6]. - The organic substrate method offers better thermal isolation and modularity, allowing for independent testing of optical engines before assembly [7][8]. Group 3: Bandwidth Density and Performance - Bandwidth density, a critical metric for CPO solutions, measures the amount of data transmitted per millimeter along optical interfaces, typically expressed in Tbps/mm [9]. - Higher bandwidth density is essential to meet the explosive growth in bandwidth demand in data centers and high-performance computing systems [9]. Group 4: Competitive Landscape - Broadcom's Bailly CPO switch integrates eight 6.4 Tbps optical engines, achieving a total external bandwidth of 51.2 Tbps [12]. - NVIDIA's Quantum-X InfiniBand switch aims for higher scalability, targeting over 100 Tbps with advanced optical engine integration [17][18]. - Broadcom's next-generation switches are expected to reach 102.4 Tbps, while NVIDIA's architecture is designed for future demands of 200G SerDes and beyond [16][19]. Group 5: Power Efficiency and Thermal Management - Both Broadcom and NVIDIA report significant reductions in power consumption per bit with their CPO solutions, with Broadcom achieving approximately 5.5W per 800 Gb/s port compared to 15W for traditional modules [35]. - Effective cooling solutions, such as liquid cooling, are necessary to manage the heat generated by high-density ASIC packages [35][36]. Group 6: Future Directions and Challenges - The industry is exploring advanced coupling methods, such as vertical coupling and multi-core fibers, to enhance optical connectivity and bandwidth density [38][40]. - Challenges in deploying CPO include ecosystem disruption, operational complexity, and the need for robust reliability validation [42][43]. - CPO's prospects appear brighter in vertical scaling applications, where integrated solutions from single vendors can simplify procurement and deployment [45].