CPO is a technology that moves optical connections from the front panel to the inside of the host system, right next to the high-speed integrated circuits (ASICs). “From high-speed networking chips to graphics processing units (GPUs) and artificial intelligence engines, the demand for I/O bandwidth continues to grow,” said Tom Marrapode, director of advanced technology development, Optical Solutions at Molex. “By placing the optics close to these ASICs, CPO will address the increasing complexities associated with high-speed electrical traces, including signal integrity, density, and power consumption.”
Traditional pluggable modules have their optical connections on the user side of the module, raising concerns about eye safety when used with high-energy laser sources, such as those planned for CPO. As a blind-coupled solution, ELSIS eliminates user access to the fiber optic ports and cables and provides an external laser source system.
The use of external laser sources also means that a significant heat source has been moved away from the optoelectronics and IC package. Furthermore, the design eliminates high-speed electrical I/O controllers in the plug-in modules and ICs, which reduces thermal loads and power consumption in the equipment.
ELSIS also offers advantages as an all-in-one, comprehensive solution. External laser source systems consist of a complex combination of optical and electrical connectors, plug-in modules, and internal fiber optic cages and cabling within the main system (host). By designing all these elements in-house, ELSIS has created a complete, fully engineered system that eliminates the lengthy design cycles required for integrating these components.
