VIAVI, SENKO, and Advantest collaborate on CPO testing for AI infrastructure

At the European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC) 2026, industry leaders are addressing the increasing complexity of AI data center infrastructure. As architectures shift from being compute-bound to connectivity-bound, there is a surging demand for high-speed optical interconnects to overcome the physical limitations of copper.

To address these challenges, SENKO, Advantest, and VIAVI have collaborated to develop an automated, repeatable testing platform for Co-Packaged Optics (CPO). This solution aims to bridge the gap between laboratory photonic performance and scalable manufacturing. The demonstration focuses on the ability to transmit 200 Gbps per lane through detachable optical connector interfaces, a significant hurdle compared to traditional permanently attached pigtails.

Other technological advancements highlighted include leaps in high-speed Ethernet (HSE), silicon photonics, and hollow-core fiber. As 1.6T and upcoming 3.2T deployments accelerate across hyperscale AI infrastructure, new testing solutions are required to manage risks such as jitter, crosstalk, and thermal behavior in 224G-per-lane SerDes links.