Just got around to watching the 2 1/2 hour video.
Just some high level comments.
Nvidia prefers pluggable transceivers but will go to CPO if no other choice. They are using custom transceivers with Macom or Marvel technology for the linear drive application. A proprietary design for their immediate needs.
Meta wants linear drive pluggable transceivers, sees the power savings of no DSP, but does not want vender lock in and wants a large healthy interoperable ecosystem to choose from. Still much work to be done. 200g application still not ready.
Wuawei is still studying the best way to implement LD solution. Many questions to be answered. The need for new test methods and new instruments for testing are required.
Serial link wants to be part of the developing of standards around LD technology. TX RX equalization is required to accommodate the removal of the DSP. The host ASIC is going to be more complex.
Macom says the switch ASIC venders are starting to build in the DSP functions to allow the LD capability. That capability will support multi mode& single mode Fiber as well as active copper and passive copper cables.
Macom, Cisco, Arista and Broadcom were demonstrating linear drive transceivers at OFC 2023.
Ranovus said CPO has better power savings over linear drive pluggables but acknowledges that there is still a marked improvement with no DSP. There are so many design considerations in implementing LD tech that there may never be a standard.
Nubis developed a custom chip enabling LD tech. (I don’t know how it works).
Arista says they can reduce the optics power by 50% and the switch power by 25% by using LD pluggables. Andy said the Serdes must match the optics Lambda speed. If it does not match then you need a gear box which is the DSP. He thinks there will be proprietary solutions first, then MSA’s before standards. He mention the various materials that can be used for linear drive tech. silicon ,TFLN, and VCSEL (lasers). They got the average power consumption down to 3.3 V.
Source photonics mentioned the same materials as Arista but showed on one of their slides Polymer MZM!! I think lwlg share holders should be pleased. They showed how using a Sicoya transceiver, an external light source how source photonics and Macoms solutions for LD is interoperable.
Cheers
