Hybrid optical-electrical interconnects for co-packaged optics

Molex has announced its first-to-market, pluggable module solution for co-packaged optics (CPO). Its new External Laser Source Interconnect System (ELSIS) is a complete system of cage, optical and electrical connectors with a pluggable module that uses proven technology to speed the development of hyperscale data centres.

Molex is currently sampling the ELSIS hybrid optical-electrical connector and cage system, giving engineers a head start on development and testing—well ahead of industry adoption of CPO. Supporting design and development materials for the fully pluggable module system, including 3D models, technical drawings and detailed specifications, are available now. Molex is targeting Q3 2023 for release of the fully integrated solution, which will enable companies to commercialise its designs and quickly ramp production as CPO acceptance scales. 

CPO is a next-generation technology that moves optical connections from the front panel to within the host system—right next to high-speed ICs. “From high-speed networking chips to graphics processing units (GPUs) and AI engines, the demand for I/O bandwidth continues to escalate,” said Tom Marrapode, director of advanced technology development, Molex Optical Solutions. “By placing the optics closer to these ASICs, CPO will address the growing complexities associated with high-speed electrical traces, including signal integrity, density and power consumption.”

Traditional pluggable modules have their optical connections at the user side of the module, creating concerns about eye safety when used with high-power laser sources, such as those planned for CPO. As a blind-mating solution, ELSIS eliminates user access to optical fibre ports and cables, providing a complete external laser source system for safe, easy implementation and maintenance.

The use of external laser sources also means a major heat source is moved away from the optoelectronics and IC package. Plus, the design eliminates high-speed electrical I/O drivers on the IC and in pluggable modules, further reducing thermal loads and power consumption within the equipment. 

Molex used its existing optical and electrical I/O products—which have proven field reliability with millions of ports shipped over 20 years — as building blocks for ELSIS. This ensures known field performance and reduces the need for considerable engineering and testing. In contrast, competing proposed CPO solutions will be all-new designs requiring extensive validation that puts time-to-market at risk.

ELSIS also offers advantages as a comprehensive, all-in-one solution. External laser source systems comprise a complex mix of optical and electrical connectors, pluggable modules, internal host system fibre optic cabling and cages. By designing all these elements in-house, Molex has created a complete, fully-engineered system that obviates the lengthy design cycles needed to integrate these components. The result is a highly interoperable, high-performance system that gives designers and end-users a plug-and-play experience.