Fiber optics for data centers: the state of the art in 2025

Updated December 11, 2025

December 2025 Update: Datacom optical market growing 60%+ to exceed $16B in 2025. 800G transceiver shipments achieving 100% YoY increase. 1.6T transceivers entering production for NVIDIA and hyperscale applications. NVIDIA announcing silicon photonics co-packaged optics switches. Google demonstrating 40% power savings via optical circuit switching. OSFP-XD standardized as primary 1.6T carrier (92% hyperscale contracts).

The datacom optical component market will grow over 60% to exceed $16 billion in revenue during 2025, driven primarily by continued growth in 400G and 800G shipments.¹ Shipments of 800G optical transceivers will achieve a 100% year-on-year increase in 2025.² NVIDIA announced silicon photonics-based co-packaged optics switches that eliminate pluggable transceiver modules entirely.³ Google demonstrated 40% power savings through optical circuit switching deployments.⁴ Fiber optic technology is advancing on multiple fronts simultaneously, reshaping data center interconnect architecture for the AI era.

The bandwidth demands of AI training and inference are pushing optical interconnects beyond traditional boundaries. GPU clusters require terabits per second of aggregate bandwidth with minimal latency. The transition from 400G to 800G to 1.6T transceivers accelerates as hyperscalers exhaust existing capacity. New architectures including linear pluggable optics, co-packaged optics, and optical circuit switching challenge the dominant pluggable transceiver model that defined the last decade.

800G becomes the mainstream standard

By 2025, 800G optical modules are no longer future technology—they represent the default choice for new buildouts in AI data centers and hyperscale cloud networks.⁵ Explosive AI workloads, trillion-parameter large language models, and dense GPU clusters push traditional 100G, 200G, and 400G networks to their limits.⁶ Industry research and vendor roadmaps show that 800G optics will dominate new deployments in AI clusters and large data centers, especially in OSFP and QSFP-DD form factors.⁷

800GbE optics shipments will grow 60% in 2025.⁸ The growth follows 250% year-on-year deployment increases for 400G and higher-speed optical transceivers in 2024.⁹ The acceleration reflects both infrastructure expansion and technology refresh cycles as operators replace aging 100G and 200G equipment.

The period from 2024 to 2026 marks the massive deployment phase for 800G.¹⁰ The technology displaces 400G as the preferred choice for data center network upgrades.¹¹ Organizations planning infrastructure investments should assume 800G as the baseline for new deployments.

1.6T transceivers enter production

The transition to 1.6T datacom optics begins in 2025, though volume production remains limited to select NVIDIA and hyperscale applications.¹² Shipments will remain under one million units for the year.¹³ The 1.6T generation will not significantly affect 400G and 800G growth rates until 2026.¹⁴

Accelink Technologies launched a 1.6T OSFP224 DR8 module supporting 8×200G rates.¹⁵ Coherent's 1.6T-DR8 module using OSFP packaging integrates NVIDIA DSP to meet AI network requirements.¹⁶ These early products demonstrate production readiness while volumes ramp gradually.

Industry standardization efforts led by Open Compute Project now prioritize OSFP-XD as the primary 1.6T carrier.¹⁷ Ninety-two percent of 2025 hyperscale data center contracts specify this form factor for its 224G SerDes readiness.¹⁸ The standardization provides procurement clarity for organizations planning multi-year infrastructure programs.

Looking ahead, 3.2 terabit transceivers are expected to arrive by 2026.¹⁹ The industry is transitioning to higher data rates with 200G per channel links expected to become mainstream in 2026 and 2027, paving the way for 800G and 1600G transceivers at those channel rates.²⁰

Form factors and power considerations

The OSFP form factor provides 800 gigabits per second aggregate throughput using 8×100G lanes.²¹ The larger form factor compared to QSFP-DD accommodates integrated heatsinks and supports power consumption up to approximately 15 watts.²² The thermal envelope proves essential as transceiver power requirements increase.

800G optics introduce new infrastructure challenges.²³ Modules consume 14 to 20 watts or more, stressing switch cooling designs and rack power budgets.²⁴ OSFP's larger form factor helps manage thermal requirements, but careful planning remains necessary.²⁵

Migrating to 800G often requires higher fiber counts, MTP cabling, and stricter polarity and cleanliness requirements.²⁶ The infrastructure investment extends beyond the transceivers themselves to the passive cabling plant.

Key suppliers include Innolight (now TeraHop), Coherent, and Eoptolink for complete modules.²⁷ Coherent, Broadcom, and Lumentum provide critical optical components including lasers and photodetectors.²⁸

Linear pluggable optics reduce power

Linear pluggable optics (LPO) technology removes the digital signal processor (DSP) chip from the transceiver module.²⁹ The module relies instead on the host platform's DSP, using linear drive circuitry with transimpedance amplifiers and driver chips that maintain excellent linearity and equalization capabilities.³⁰

The power savings prove substantial. A traditional DSP-driven 400GbE transceiver consumes 7 to 9 watts.³¹ A 400GbE LPO transceiver generally requires only 2 to 4 watts.³² The DSP accounts for roughly 50% of pluggable module power, making it the primary target for efficiency gains.³³

LPO technology delivers up to 90% less latency.³⁴ The absence of the DSP removes a processing step from the data transmission path.³⁵ The latency reduction has become a key driver for LPO adoption in switch-to-switch, switch-to-server, and GPU-to-GPU connectivity for machine learning and high-performance computing.³⁶

Cost advantages compound the power and latency benefits. The DSP chip represents the most expensive component in traditional optics.³⁷ Removing it enables substantial savings at scale.

LPO excels in environments with short links and host equipment designed for linear drive.³⁸ Top-of-rack to leaf switch interconnects typically under 100 meters and often under 5 meters represent primary applications.³⁹ Intra-cluster AI and HPC fabrics connecting GPUs within single racks or adjacent racks benefit from LPO's characteristics.⁴⁰

The LPO Multi-Source Agreement includes 50 networking, semiconductor, interconnect, and optics companies collaborating on interoperability testing.⁴¹ However, the lack of complete standards for optical module connections slows adoption despite growing pressure to reduce data center power consumption.⁴²

Co-packaged optics transform architecture

Co-packaged optics (CPO) integrates optical engines directly with switch ASICs or processors on a common substrate.⁴³ The approach eliminates pluggable transceiver modules entirely, improving power efficiency by 3.5 times and enhancing reliability by 10 times compared to traditional architectures.⁴⁴ Compared to pluggable transceivers, CPO reduces power consumption by 50% and increases bandwidth density by a factor of three.⁴⁵

NVIDIA announced CPO integration at GTC 2025. Jensen Huang unveiled network switches incorporating co-packaged optics that combine photonics and electronics in a single package for higher performance and efficiency.⁴⁶ The Quantum-X switch, available in the second half of 2025, and Spectrum-X switch, planned for the second half of 2026, deliver 1.6T and 3.2T silicon photonics co-packaged optics chips.⁴⁷

The Quantum-X photonic switch delivers 115.2 terabits per second total throughput using two CPO modules.⁴⁸ Each module houses a Quantum-X800 ASIC built on TSMC's 4N process with 107 billion transistors and six optical components including 18 silicon photonic engines.⁴⁹ The 200 gigabits per second micro-ring modulators achieve the 3.5x power reduction.⁵⁰

Energy constraints drive CPO adoption. According to Jensen Huang, energy is the most important commodity for AI infrastructure.⁵¹ Each GPU requires six pluggable electrical-to-fiber transceivers, with each consuming 30 watts.⁵² Scaling to a million GPUs would consume approximately 180 megawatts—an unsustainable figure for large-scale systems.⁵³

Delta announced a 51.2T CPO Ethernet switch based on Broadcom's Tomahawk 5-Bailly solution to meet evolving AI networking demands.⁵⁴ Ayar Labs and Alchip Technologies announced a strategic partnership to accelerate AI scale-up infrastructure using CPO technology with TSMC's advanced packaging.⁵⁵

Large-scale CPO deployments are projected between 2028 and 2030.⁵⁶ Early products from Broadcom shipped in 2024 and 2025, but adoption requires new switch architectures, cabling, and standards.⁵⁷ Industry forecasts predict shipments of CPO ports climbing from minimal volumes today to tens of millions by 2029.⁵⁸

Silicon photonics market accelerates

The silicon photonics market generates $3.11 billion in 2025 and is forecast to advance at a 27.21% compound annual growth rate, reaching $10.36 billion by 2030.⁵⁹ Strong growth stems from increasing demand for high-speed data transmission in AI, cloud computing, and quantum technologies.⁶⁰

AI serves as the biggest driver of photonic integrated circuit transceiver development.⁶¹ Higher-performance AI accelerators require higher-performance transceivers, with 3.2 terabits per second transceivers expected by 2026.⁶² The technology enables the high-bandwidth, energy-efficient interconnects essential for scaling AI systems.⁶³

Embedding optical engines beside switch ASICs trims electrical-optical conversions and cuts rack-level power draw by up to 40%.⁶⁴ Google's optical circuit switching trials validate latency gains.⁶⁵ Both NVIDIA and Marvell now sample proprietary co-packaged modules that streamline board layouts for AI clusters.⁶⁶

The industrial ecosystem combines vertically integrated leaders including TeraHop (formerly InnoLight), Cisco, Broadcom, and Marvell with innovative startups including Ayar Labs, Lightmatter, Celestial AI, and Nubis Communications.⁶⁷ Chinese players including TeraHop, Hisense, and Accezlink ship millions of modules powering AI interconnects.⁶⁸

Multicore fiber increases density

Multicore fiber (MCF) contains multiple independent light-guiding cores in a single fiber strand.⁶⁹ Unlike traditional single-mode or multimode fiber with one core, MCF acts as a multi-lane highway, with each core carrying a separate data channel simultaneously.⁷⁰ The design dramatically increases fiber capacity and spatial density without increasing cable physical size.

A four-core MCF can increase bandwidth capacity within the same footprint by four times.⁷¹ A seven-core fiber can replace seven single-core fibers, greatly improving space utilization.⁷² Transmitting more data through a single fiber is inherently more energy-efficient than powering multiple separate fibers and their associated electronics.⁷³

At OFC 2025, Eoptolink demonstrated the industry's first 800G optical transceiver for multicore fiber.⁷⁴ HYC showcased a complete series of MCF passive subassemblies.⁷⁵ LINK-PP offers 400G QSFP-DD transceivers engineered for 400 gigabits per second speeds using four-core MCF.⁷⁶

MCF is considered an effective solution for overcoming the Shannon capacity limit of current optical communication systems, enabling significant exponential increases in bandwidth capacity.⁷⁷ However, there is not yet a standard for measuring crosstalk, with several proposed methods not yet agreed in standards bodies.⁷⁸

MCF was predicted to be operating by 2025, and recent announcements confirm the technology is now commercially available.⁷⁹

Hollow core fiber cuts latency

Hollow core fiber (HCF) transmits light through a hollow space rather than a solid glass core.⁸⁰ As light travels faster through air than glass, HCF is 47% faster than standard silica glass, delivering increased speed and lower latency.⁸¹

Microsoft-backed researchers unveiled a new hollow core optical fiber design achieving loss below 0.1 dB per kilometer, with best results at 0.091 dB per kilometer.⁸² The team promises transmission speeds 45% faster than solid-core fiber.⁸³ With further refinement, the design could support five to ten times wider bandwidth.⁸⁴

Microsoft uses HCF cables in Azure data centers, reporting up to 47% increases in data speeds along with noticeably lower latency.⁸⁵ These metrics prove key for advanced AI and cloud services.⁸⁶

HCF expands data center geographic options. With standard single-mode fiber, latency limits data center expansion to roughly 80 kilometers radius from the original facility.⁸⁷ With hollow core fiber, that distance extends to 120 kilometers.⁸⁸ HCF reduces latency between sites over 80 kilometers apart—crucial for real-time data synchronization and AI model training.⁸⁹

In November 2025, Scala Data Centers partnered with Lightera and Nokia to conduct the first proof of concept using AccuCore HCF in Latin America.⁹⁰ The test demonstrated latency reduction of approximately 32% compared to conventional optical fibers.⁹¹

China's Yangtze Optical Fiber and Cable recently pushed a single-wavelength signal at 1.2 terabits per second over more than 10 kilometers and deployed a system transferring 100.4 terabits per second across 20 kilometers.⁹² The results demonstrate HCF readiness for telecom-grade deployment.

Microsoft has significant internal demand for the fiber and will consume everything its production unit can make for the next couple of years.⁹³ Data center operators may be able to purchase and install the technology in approximately five years once it completes international standardization.⁹⁴

Optical circuit switching gains momentum

Optical circuit switching (OCS) routes data optically without electrical conversion, reducing power consumption and enhancing reliability for large-scale AI workloads.⁹⁵ Unlike traditional electrical switching, signals remain in the optical domain as they transit the switch.⁹⁶

Google extensively uses OCS technology as part of Jupiter and AI network architectures through Project Apollo.⁹⁷ Google demonstrated 40% power savings and 30% cost savings with 50 times better long-term uptime for its switching network.⁹⁸ Google spent between $500 million and $1 billion on OCS over the last five years.⁹⁹

Deploying OCS-based architecture enables operators to dramatically reduce the number of electrical switches required in data center networks and reduce costly optical-to-electrical-to-optical conversions.¹⁰⁰ A major advantage is that OCS is fundamentally speed-agnostic—because it operates entirely in the optical domain, it does not need upgrading when the industry transitions from 400 gigabits per second to 800 gigabits per second to 1.6 terabits per second.¹⁰¹

The Open Compute Project Foundation announced formation of an OCS Subproject co-led by iPronics and Lumentum.¹⁰² Initial participants include Coherent, Google, Lumotive, Microsoft, nEye, NVIDIA, Oriole Networks, and POLATIS.¹⁰³ The subproject debuts at the OCP APAC Summit in August 2025.¹⁰⁴

Coherent announced volume shipments of OCS expected to commence in 2025.¹⁰⁵ The new total addressable market remains speculative but will reach multiple tens of millions of dollars in 2025 to single-digit billions by 2029.¹⁰⁶

Looking at switch port shipments in AI clusters, the majority of ports in 2025 will operate at 800 gigabits per second.¹⁰⁷ By 2027, the majority will transition to 1.6 terabits per second, and by 2030, most ports are expected to operate at 3.2 terabits per second.¹⁰⁸

Infrastructure planning considerations

Organizations planning optical infrastructure should evaluate the full technology stack rather than focusing solely on transceiver speeds. The transition from 400G to 800G to 1.6T represents only one dimension of optical network evolution. LPO, CPO, MCF, HCF, and OCS each address different requirements and timelines.

For near-term deployments in 2025 and 2026, 800G transceivers in OSFP form factors represent the mainstream choice. Organizations should plan power and cooling infrastructure for 15 to 20 watt modules and ensure cabling plants support higher fiber counts and stricter cleanliness requirements.

LPO offers immediate power and latency benefits for short-reach applications. Organizations deploying dense GPU clusters should evaluate LPO compatibility with their switch and NIC platforms. The 50% power reduction and 90% latency improvement justify the integration effort for qualifying workloads.

CPO represents the longer-term architectural shift. While NVIDIA's 2025 and 2026 switches bring CPO to market, broad adoption requires new infrastructure designs. Organizations should track CPO developments for planning but expect pluggable modules to dominate through 2027.

Hollow core fiber and multicore fiber address specific requirements. HCF benefits organizations needing to extend data center campus distances beyond traditional limits. MCF benefits organizations facing fiber plant density constraints. Both technologies are reaching commercial availability but require evaluation of standards maturity.

Optical circuit switching suits organizations with dynamic workload patterns and scale matching Google's deployment profile. The power and cost savings prove substantial at hyperscale. Smaller deployments may not justify the architectural changes OCS requires.

The optical interconnect landscape is evolving faster than at any point in data center history. AI workloads drive bandwidth requirements that push every technology to its limits. Organizations that understand the full range of emerging options position themselves to build efficient, scalable infrastructure as the technology matures.

Key takeaways

For network architects: - 800G now default for new AI data center buildouts; 800GbE optics shipments grow 60% in 2025; 1.6T enters production for NVIDIA/hyperscale - Datacom optical component market exceeds $16B revenue in 2025, driven by 400G and 800G growth - Switch port evolution: 2025 majority 800G → 2027 majority 1.6T → 2030 majority 3.2T

For power/efficiency planning: - LPO (Linear Pluggable Optics): removes DSP, reduces power 50% (7-9W → 2-4W for 400GbE), 90% less latency - CPO (Co-Packaged Optics): integrates optical engines with switch ASICs; 3.5x power efficiency, 10x reliability, 50% power reduction vs pluggable - NVIDIA Quantum-X photonic switch: 115.2Tbps using CPO; Jensen Huang: scaling to 1M GPUs with pluggables would consume 180MW—unsustainable

For infrastructure upgrades: - 800G migration requires higher fiber counts, MTP cabling, stricter polarity and cleanliness; modules consume 14-20W+ stressing cooling - OSFP-XD prioritized as primary 1.6T carrier; 92% of 2025 hyperscale contracts specify this form factor - Silicon photonics market: $3.11B (2025) → $10.36B by 2030 (27.21% CAGR)

For emerging technologies: - Hollow core fiber: 47% faster than glass (light travels faster through air); Microsoft using in Azure for 47% speed increase, 32% latency reduction - Multicore fiber: 4-core MCF = 4x bandwidth in same footprint; Eoptolink demonstrated first 800G transceiver for MCF at OFC 2025 - HCF expands geographic options: standard fiber limits ~80km radius, hollow core extends to ~120km

For strategic planning: - Optical Circuit Switching: Google's Project Apollo demonstrated 40% power savings, 30% cost savings, 50x better uptime; speed-agnostic (no upgrade needed for 400G→800G→1.6T) - Large-scale CPO deployments projected 2028-2030; LPO offers immediate benefits for short-reach applications - OCP OCS Subproject formed with Google, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Coherent; volume shipments expected 2025

---

References

1. Cignal AI. "800GbE Optics Shipments to Grow 60% in 2025." May 2025. https://cignal.ai/2025/05/800gbe-optics-shipments-to-grow-60-in-2025/

2. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers." 2025. https://qsfpdd800g.com/blogs/artical/2025-800g-optical-module-trends-ai-data-centers

3. Yole Group. "Silicon photonics and co-packaged optics at the heart of next-generation AI-driven data infrastructure." 2025. https://www.yolegroup.com/press-release/silicon-photonics-and-co-packaged-optics-at-the-heart-of-next-generation-ai-driven-data-infrastructure/

4. Data Center Dynamics. "Mission Apollo: Behind Google's optical circuit switching revolution." 2025. https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/analysis/mission-apollo-behind-googles-optical-circuit-switching-revolution-mag/

5. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

6. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

7. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

8. Cignal AI. "800GbE Optics Shipments to Grow 60% in 2025."

9. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

10. LINK-PP. "The Evolution of Optical Modules: 400G → 800G → 1.6T – A Strategic Upgrade Guide for Data Centers." 2025. https://www.link-pp.com/blog/evolution-800g-1-6t-optical-modules.html

11. LINK-PP. "The Evolution of Optical Modules."

12. Cignal AI. "800GbE Optics Shipments to Grow 60% in 2025."

13. Cignal AI. "800GbE Optics Shipments to Grow 60% in 2025."

14. Cignal AI. "800GbE Optics Shipments to Grow 60% in 2025."

15. LINK-PP. "The Evolution of Optical Modules."

16. LINK-PP. "The Evolution of Optical Modules."

17. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

18. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

19. Signal Integrity Journal. "Silicon Photonics and Co-Packaged Optics at the Heart of Next-Generation AI-Driven Data Infrastructure." 2025. https://www.signalintegrityjournal.com/articles/4065-silicon-photonics-and-co-packaged-optics-at-the-heart-of-next-generation-ai-driven-data-infrastructure

20. Signal Integrity Journal. "Silicon Photonics and Co-Packaged Optics."

21. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

22. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

23. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

24. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

25. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

26. QSFP DD 800G. "2025 800G Optical Module Trends for AI Data Centers."

27. Cignal AI. "800GbE Optics Shipments to Grow 60% in 2025."

28. Cignal AI. "800GbE Optics Shipments to Grow 60% in 2025."

29. Dell Technologies Info Hub. "Revolutionizing Data Centers with a Linear Pluggable Optic (LPO) Solution." 2025. https://infohub.delltechnologies.com/en-us/p/revolutionizing-data-centers-with-a-linear-pluggable-optic-lpo-solution/

30. FiberMall. "What is LPO Optical Transceiver Module?" 2025. https://www.fibermall.com/blog/what-is-lpo-optical-module.htm

31. FS Community. "LPO Transceiver: Embracing the Future of Linear-drive Pluggable Optics." 2025. https://community.fs.com/article/what-is-the-lpo-transceiver.html

32. FS Community. "LPO Transceiver: Embracing the Future of Linear-drive Pluggable Optics."

33. Semi Engineering. "Linear Pluggable Optics Save Energy In Data Centers." 2025. https://semiengineering.com/linear-pluggable-optics-save-energy-in-data-centers/

34. Dell Technologies Info Hub. "Revolutionizing Data Centers with a Linear Pluggable Optic (LPO) Solution."

35. FS Community. "LPO Transceiver: Embracing the Future of Linear-drive Pluggable Optics."

36. L&P Resources. "Understanding LPO Transceivers in Modern Data Centers." 2025. https://resources.l-p.com/knowledge-center/lpo-transceiver-benefits-modern-data-centers-optical-links

37. FS Community. "LPO Transceiver: Embracing the Future of Linear-drive Pluggable Optics."

38. Flexoptix. "Introducing Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO)." 2025. https://www.flexoptix.net/en/blog/blog/introducing-linear-pluggable-optics

39. Flexoptix. "Introducing Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO)."

40. Flexoptix. "Introducing Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO)."

41. Semi Engineering. "Linear Pluggable Optics Save Energy In Data Centers."

42. Semi Engineering. "Linear Pluggable Optics Save Energy In Data Centers."

43. Marvell. "Co-packaged Optics: Powering the Next Wave of AI Data Center Innovation." 2025. https://www.marvell.com/blogs/co-packaged-optics-for-next-wave-ai-data-centers.html

44. LSO Link. "Everything You Need to Know About 800G/1.6T Optical Transceiver and Co-Package Module." 2025. https://www.lsolink.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-800g-1-6t-optical-transceiver-and-co-package-module/

45. LSO Link. "Everything You Need to Know About 800G/1.6T Optical Transceiver and Co-Package Module."

46. Ayar Labs. "Co-Packaged Optics (CPO): Step Into the Spotlight." 2025. https://ayarlabs.com/blog/co-packaged-optics-step-into-the-spotlight/

47. Ayar Labs. "Co-Packaged Optics (CPO): Step Into the Spotlight."

48. Photonics Online. "NVIDIA Unveils Silicon Photonics CPO Technology, Transforming AI Data Center Networks." 2025. https://www.photonicsonline.com/doc/nvidia-unveils-silicon-photonics-cpo-technology-transforming-introduction-0001

49. Photonics Online. "NVIDIA Unveils Silicon Photonics CPO Technology."

50. Photonics Online. "NVIDIA Unveils Silicon Photonics CPO Technology."

51. Ayar Labs. "Co-Packaged Optics (CPO): Step Into the Spotlight."

52. Ayar Labs. "Co-Packaged Optics (CPO): Step Into the Spotlight."

53. Ayar Labs. "Co-Packaged Optics (CPO): Step Into the Spotlight."

54. PR Newswire. "Delta Showcases Advanced AI Data Center Networking Solutions with Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) Ethernet Switch." June 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/delta-showcases-advanced-ai-data-center-networking-solutions-with-co-packaged-optics-cpo-ethernet-switch-and-next-generation-switch-design-at-computex-2025-302456256.html

55. BusinessWire. "Ayar Labs and Alchip to Scale AI Infrastructure With Co-Packaged Optics." September 2025. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250907007519/en/Ayar-Labs-and-Alchip-to-Scale-AI-Infrastructure-With-Co-Packaged-Optics

56. Ahmed Jama. "Co-Packaged Optics in Modern Data Centres." May 2025. https://ahmedjama.com/blog/2025/05/co-packaged-optics-in-modern-datacenter/

57. Ahmed Jama. "Co-Packaged Optics in Modern Data Centres."

58. Ahmed Jama. "Co-Packaged Optics in Modern Data Centres."

59. Mordor Intelligence. "Silicon Photonics Market Size, Growth Drivers & Industry Analysis, 2030." 2025. https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/silicon-photonics-market

60. Mordor Intelligence. "Silicon Photonics Market Size."

61. Signal Integrity Journal. "Silicon Photonics and Co-Packaged Optics."

62. Signal Integrity Journal. "Silicon Photonics and Co-Packaged Optics."

63. GlobeNewswire. "Silicon Photonics and Photonic Integrated Circuits Global Market Report 2025." March 2025. https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2025/03/27/3050754/28124/en/Silicon-Photonics-and-Photonic-Integrated-Circuits-Global-Market-Report-2025-New-Report-Highlights-Silicon-Photonics-as-Backbone-of-Next-Gen-Data-Telecom-and-Sensing-Applications.html

64. Yole Group. "Silicon photonics and co-packaged optics."

65. Yole Group. "Silicon photonics and co-packaged optics."

66. Yole Group. "Silicon photonics and co-packaged optics."

67. TSPA Semiconductor. "From Taiwan to the World: Silicon Photonics Roadmap and Its Role in Global AI Infrastructure." 2025. https://tspasemiconductor.substack.com/p/from-taiwan-to-the-world-silicon

68. TSPA Semiconductor. "From Taiwan to the World."

69. L&P Resources. "Multicore Fiber (MCF): Revolutionizing Data Density with Spatial Multiplexing." 2025. https://resources.l-p.com/knowledge-center/what-is-multicore-fiber-in-high-speed-networks

70. L&P Resources. "Multicore Fiber (MCF)."

71. L&P Resources. "Multicore Fiber (MCF)."

72. MEISU Optics. "Multicore Fiber MCF Application." 2025. https://www.meisuoptics.com/mcf-fiber-and-its-application.html

73. L&P Resources. "Multicore Fiber (MCF)."

74. PR Newswire. "Eoptolink Unveils Industry-First 800G Optical Transceiver for Multicore Fiber at OFC 2025." March 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/eoptolink-unveils-industry-first-800g-optical-transceiver-for-multicore-fiber-at-ofc-2025-302414881.html

75. Optica. "Multicore Fiber Interconnection for Next-Generation Connectivity." 2025. https://www.optica.org/about/newsroom/corporate_member_news/2025/multicore_fiber_interconnection_for_next-generation_connectivity/

76. LINK-PP. "The Evolution of Optical Modules."

77. L&P Resources. "Multicore Fiber (MCF)."

78. L&P Resources. "Multicore Fiber (MCF)."

79. L&P Resources. "Multicore Fiber (MCF)."

80. Data Center Dynamics. "Hollow core fiber: What is it and why does it matter?" 2025. https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/analysis/hollow-core-fiber-what-is-it-and-why-does-it-matter/

81. Data Center Dynamics. "Hollow core fiber."

82. The Register. "Microsoft-backed hollow-core fiber boffins show speed boost." September 2025. https://www.theregister.com/2025/09/01/hollowcore_optical_fiber_research/

83. The Register. "Microsoft-backed hollow-core fiber boffins show speed boost."

84. The Register. "Microsoft-backed hollow-core fiber boffins show speed boost."

85. HotHardware. "Microsoft Bets On Hollow Core Optical Fiber Being The Future Of High-Speed Data." 2025. https://hothardware.com/news/microsoft-bets-on-hollow-core-optical-fiber

86. HotHardware. "Microsoft Bets On Hollow Core Optical Fiber."

87. Microsoft Azure Blog. "How hollow core fiber is accelerating AI." 2025. https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/how-hollow-core-fiber-is-accelerating-ai/

88. Microsoft Azure Blog. "How hollow core fiber is accelerating AI."

89. Microsoft Azure Blog. "How hollow core fiber is accelerating AI."

90. PR Newswire. "Scala Data Centers, Lightera, and Nokia conduct the first AccuCore HCF (Hollow Core Fiber) test in Latin America." November 2025. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/scala-data-centers-lightera-and-nokia-conduct-the-first-accucore-hcf-hollow-core-fiber-test-in-latin-america-302607979.html

91. PR Newswire. "Scala Data Centers, Lightera, and Nokia conduct the first AccuCore HCF test."

92. Laser Focus World. "Hollow-core fiber: The next leap forward for global network infrastructure." 2025. https://www.laserfocusworld.com/fiber-optics/article/55313255/hollow-core-fiber-the-next-leap-forward-for-global-network-infrastructure

93. The Register. "Microsoft-backed hollow-core fiber boffins show speed boost."

94. The Register. "Microsoft-backed hollow-core fiber boffins show speed boost."

95. Open Compute Project. "The Open Compute Project Announces New Optical Circuit Switching (OCS) Project." 2025. https://www.opencompute.org/blog/the-open-compute-project-announces-new-optical-circuit-switching-ocs-project

96. FS Blog. "The Transformative Role of Optical Circuit Switches in Modern Data Centers." 2025. https://www.fs.com/blog/the-transformative-role-of-optical-circuit-switches-in-modern-data-centers-40837.html

97. Data Center Dynamics. "Mission Apollo: Behind Google's optical circuit switching revolution."

98. Data Center Dynamics. "Mission Apollo: Behind Google's optical circuit switching revolution."

99. Dell'Oro Group. "Beyond the GPU Arms Race — The Potential Role of OXC in Building Next Gen AI Infrastructure." 2025. https://www.delloro.com/beyond-the-gpu-arms-race-the-potential-role-of-oxc-in-building-next-gen-ai-infrastructure/

100. FS Blog. "The Transformative Role of Optical Circuit Switches."

101. FS Blog. "The Transformative Role of Optical Circuit Switches."

102. Open Compute Project. "The Open Compute Project Announces New Optical Circuit Switching (OCS) Project."

103. Open Compute Project. "The Open Compute Project Announces New Optical Circuit Switching (OCS) Project."

104. Open Compute Project. "The Open Compute Project Announces New Optical Circuit Switching (OCS) Project."

105. Cignal AI. "The Optical Circuit Switching Market - 1Q25." January 2025. https://cignal.ai/2025/01/the-optical-circuit-switching-market-1q25/

106. Cignal AI. "The Optical Circuit Switching Market - 1Q25."

107. Cignal AI. "The Optical Circuit Switching Market - 1Q25."

108. Cignal AI. "The Optical Circuit Switching Market - 1Q25."

---

SEO Elements

Squarespace Excerpt (159 characters): 800G shipments double in 2025. NVIDIA launches CPO switches. Microsoft deploys hollow core fiber. The state of the art in data center optical interconnects.

SEO Title (55 characters): Fiber Optics for Data Centers: State of the Art 2025

SEO Description (155 characters): 800G transceivers dominate 2025. CPO cuts power 50%. LPO reduces latency 90%. Hollow core fiber 47% faster. Comprehensive analysis of optical interconnect tech.

URL Slugs: - Primary: fiber-optics-data-center-state-of-art-optical-interconnect - Alt 1: 800g-1600g-optical-transceiver-data-center-2025 - Alt 2: co-packaged-optics-cpo-nvidia-silicon-photonics - Alt 3: linear-pluggable-optics-hollow-core-fiber-data-center