CPO optical modules put optical and electronic parts together. They make the signal path much shorter, from centimeters to millimeters. This can cut power use by up to half. CPO technology lets more data fit in. Today, data centers use a separate approach for optics and electronics, in which optical modules are connected to switches and routers through high-speed electrical interfaces. From Jensen Huang showcasing CPO switches at GTC 2025 to a wide range of vendors demonstrating optical engines integrated inside ASIC packages at OFC 2025, CPOs are everywhere. However, it's worth noting that Andy Bechtolsheim, co-founder of Arista and a long-standing visionary in.
[PDF Version]