Trend analysis, explainer articles, interviews and reviews.
A Laser Focus World article analyzes the surge in industry interest in MicroLED co-packaged optics (CPO) solutions, reflecting their multiple advantages, although technical challenges remain to be resolved.
Why we recommend it: The article reviews the advantages and challenges of MicroLED shifting from displays to optical interconnects, helping assess the maturity of this CPO route
At the 27th CIOE and SIVA 2026, the keywords for VR/AR optics centered on mass production, thin-and-light design, and color displays for AR glasses. The article summarizes show trends, noting that 4-inch, 6-inch and other semiconductor wafers were everywhere, serving as a way to demonstrate mass-production capability.
Why we recommend it: The original article summarizes the directions of multiple AR optics makers at the show, making it easy to compare the current state of the AR optics supply chain
LightCounting's latest quarterly report says NPO dominated much of the discussion at the recent CIOE, much like the industry's enthusiasm for LPO a few years ago. However, sales of retimed pluggable optical modules continue to hit new highs, with Ethernet optical modules accounting for the majority of overall sales.
Why we recommend it: The original article contrasts sales data with the hype, helping to gauge the real pace of NPO and pluggable optical modules
The 27th CIOE drew nearly 190,000 visits over three days, up 32% year on year. NPO (near-package optics) products from major domestic optical module makers made a concentrated appearance. NPO moves the optical engine from the switch front panel to near the ASIC package without soldering it to the switch chip, balancing power consumption and serviceability.
Why we recommend it: The source text explains the trade-offs of NPO versus CPO and pluggables, helping to understand cloud vendors' selection logic
An article by VR Tuoluo notes that metalenses had a noticeably stronger presence at CIOE 2026, with NIL Technology showcasing metaEye for AR/VR eye tracking. The article maps out the application paths for metalenses in eye tracking, ToF and AI glasses.
Why we recommend it: The source text lists specific applications of metalenses in XR, helping to gauge the progress of metasurfaces from the lab to products
Speaking at the CIOE forum, Tencent's Zou Xianneng said NPO will ramp up quickly and OCS is poised for large-scale deployment.
Why we recommend it: The source text provides specific data and details that help assess the actual progress in this direction
Focuslight addresses Mini and Micro LED process challenges through laser mass transfer, mass welding and chip repair, with key factors being spot control, energy uniformity and closed-loop temperature control. The Flux H system for mass welding uses a 4000-10000W, 976nm light source, with spot length and width adjustable in segments from 2 mm to 200 mm and energy uniformity above 97%. The Flux H system for chip repair uses a 30-150W, 976nm light source, with a 365um×105um spot and energy uniformity above 90%.
Why we recommend it: Mapping mass transfer, welding and repair to spot and thermal management requirements provides a concrete method for working backward from display manufacturing bottlenecks to laser system design parameters.