GIGALIGHT Unveils DSP-Free 1.6T NPO Silicon Photonics Engine and 400G QSFP-DD DWDM Solution at China Computing Expo

September 6, 2026

GIGALIGHT China

Overview

GIGALIGHT showcased a DSP (Digital Signal Processing)-free 1.6T DR16 NPO (Near-Package Optics) linear silicon photonics engine and a dual-approach 400G QSFP-DD DWDM solution at the China Computing Expo. The 1.6T NPO engine integrates LPO (Linear Pluggable Optics) linear direct drive and flip-chip bonding into a socket-based package. By eliminating the DSP, it significantly reduces power consumption and cost, making it ideal for next-generation 1.6T/3.2T SCALE UP computing interconnects. This innovation promises to enhance power efficiency and performance in AI data centers.

In Depth

Key Findings

GIGALIGHT announced an innovative 1.6T DR16 Near-Package Optics (NPO) linear silicon photonics engine, designed without a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), and a dual-approach 400G QSFP-DD DWDM solution at the China Computing Expo held from September 2-4, 2026. This DSP-free approach is set to deliver substantial reductions in power consumption and cost for next-generation AI data centers.

Technical and Business Details

DSP-Free 1.6T NPO Engine: The unveiled 1.6T NPO silicon photonics engine features a socket-based package integrating Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO) linear direct drive technology and advanced flip-chip bonding techniques. By eschewing a DSP, it significantly cuts down on the power consumption (DSPs can account for over 50% of module power) and costs associated with complex digital signal processing, thereby improving overall system efficiency.
Readiness for Next-Gen Interconnects: This engine is specifically engineered to meet the requirements of future 1.6T and 3.2T SCALE UP computing interconnects, particularly for AI/HPC (High-Performance Computing) clusters. Its low latency and high efficiency are crucial for the rapid processing demands of AI workloads.
Dual-Approach 400G QSFP-DD DWDM Solution: Concurrently, the announced 400G QSFP-DD DWDM solution aims to enhance bandwidth expansion and efficiency in existing data centers and metro networks. By leveraging DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) technology, it enables the transmission of multiple wavelengths over a single optical fiber, maximizing capacity.
Market Strategy: These products target the growing demand for energy efficiency and cost reduction within AI data center infrastructure. The DSP-free LPO design is positioned as a key interim step before the eventual transition to more advanced Co-Packaged Optics (CPO), influencing the industry’s overall roadmap.

Background and Industry Context

The explosive growth of AI computing places unprecedented pressure on data center network bandwidth and power consumption. While DSPs in traditional optical transceivers have been essential for signal quality compensation, their high power usage and cost have driven up the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for data centers. GIGALIGHT’s DSP-free approach offers an innovative solution to this challenge, promoting the construction of more sustainable and economical AI infrastructure.

Strategic Significance and Outlook

GIGALIGHT’s new DSP-free NPO silicon photonics engine could significantly influence AI data center design philosophy. Power efficiency and cost reduction are paramount factors in large-scale AI deployments, and this technology addresses these critical demands. Moving forward, the adoption of LPO is expected to expand, ultimately paving the way for more sophisticated opto-electronic integration solutions like CPO. This trajectory promises further advancements in AI computing performance and sustainability.

Source: https://www.gigalight.com/news-events/news-10776.html

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