News: Optoelectronics
27 March 2025
Coherent launches 2x400G-FR4 Lite silicon photonics-based optical transceiver
Materials, networking and laser technology firm Coherent Corp of Saxonburg, PA, USA has launched its 2x400G-FR4 Lite optical transceiver, a silicon photonics-based module optimized for AI-driven data centers and high-speed Ethernet networks. Designed for high volume deployments, the transceiver delivers 500m reach while significantly reducing power consumption. It complements the firm’s existing 800G-DR8 transceiver (also built with silicon photonics technology) with a wavelength-multiplexed variant that is more fiber-efficient than the DR8.
The explosive growth of AI and ML workloads is driving demand for high-density, energy-efficient optical interconnects that seamlessly integrate with Ethernet-based front-end networks, notes Coherent. The 2x400G-FR4 Lite is engineered to support these evolving architectures by providing a streamlined design that lowers power consumption through silicon photonics integration and presents an alternative to conventional EML-based solutions for shorter reaches or less demanding applications.
“The 2x400G-FR4 Lite is built with silicon photonics, reinforcing our commitment to selecting the best technology for each application,” says Dr Lee Xu, executive VP, datacom transceivers. “With a technology portfolio that spans vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL), electro-absorption modulated lasers (EML), directly modulated lasers (DML), and silicon photonics, we tailor our solutions to optimize performance, efficiency and cost for each application. In this case, silicon photonics was the optimal choice.”
The 2x400G-FR4 Lite integrates a silicon photonics integrated circuit (PIC) for reduced component count and streamlined production. It includes CW lasers, photodetectors, and passive optical components. It also eliminates the need for thermoelectric coolers.
Samples of the 2x400G-FR4 Lite are available now, with general availability planned for 1 April.
Coherent is exhibiting in booth #1519 at the Optical Fiber Communications Conference & Exposition (OFC 2025) in San Francisco (1–3 April).
Coherent introduces 1300nm high-power DFB lasers for silicon photonics-based transceivers
