Fiber-optic communications, optical networks and data center optical interconnects.
Credo has launched the Short Reach Micro-emitter Optics (SRMO) working group within the Open Compute Project (OCP) to develop specifications for high-speed data center interconnects with industry partners.
FiberHome Ruituo, a wholly owned subsidiary of FiberHome Telecommunication Technologies, has filed a construction application for Phase II of its industrial-scale oversized optical fiber preform project, with total investment of about RMB 398 million. Upon completion, the project will add 600 tons of annual optical fiber preform capacity. In May, the company unveiled an optical fiber preform measuring 0.3 meters in diameter and 3.5 meters in length, from which about 20,000 kilometers of optical fiber can be drawn from a single preform.
Lumentum@LumentumOptics industryOptics and AIAI score4848
The Ethernet Alliance held its Technology Exploration Forum, TEF 2026, on the theme "The Future of AI is Ethernet" from October 7 to 8, 2026; a Lightwave podcast discussed AI's impact on the evolution of Ethernet.
Coherent Corp.@CoherentCorpOptics industryOptics and AIAI score2525
UK-based silicon photonics company Salience Labs has closed a USD 125 million Series B round to expand development of optical circuit switch (OCS) technology and ease network bottlenecks in AI data centers.
Why we recommend it: The source article highlights the positioning of optical circuit switching against AI data center bottlenecks, helping understand capital enthusiasm for silicon photonic switching
Jiangsu Yotai Photonics listed on the Beijing Stock Exchange on October 9 at an issue price of 13.75 yuan per share, offering about 17.6667 million shares and raising about 243 million yuan. The share price rose 449% on its first day of trading. The company mainly produces optical modules and optical interconnect products for data centers.
Active core alignment technology overcomes conventional manufacturing tolerances, enabling demountable fiber connectors to achieve optical performance close to fusion splicing, with connection loss below 0.05dB.
Academician Philip Russell, director of the Russell Advanced Photonic Wave Science Center at the Hangzhou Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics, received the 2026 Chinese Government Friendship Award at the Great Hall of the People on September 30. A total of 50 foreign experts received the award this year. Russell is an internationally renowned scholar in photonic crystal fibers.
NVIDIA and Cisco jointly announced plans for the USFP (Ultra-Small Form Factor Pluggable) optical module on October 12. This high-density pluggable optical module supports 400Gb/s per lane and targets the scaling needs of next-generation AI factory networks, helping control network complexity, power consumption and cost as connection scale grows.
Why we recommend it: The article explains the motivation behind two leading vendors jointly defining a new package form factor, helping assess the evolution of optical module formats for AI networks
Armstrong is transitioning to DOCSIS 4.0 using Harmonic's virtualized broadband technology and cOS platform, while expanding PON-based FTTH services.
Vuzix@VuzixOptics industryOptics and AIAI score5656
Suzhou Dongshan Precision Manufacturing has passed its listing hearing at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. CIC says it is the world's only supplier with capabilities in PCBs, optical chips and optical modules at the same time. These products together account for about 9% to 14% of AI server material costs, and the company is expanding in optical interconnects through Source Photonics in optical modules.
STAR Market-listed Nanoradar announced plans to use its own funds of CNY 161.67 million to purchase a 51% stake in Guangzhou Xintai Communications. After the deal closes, Xintai Communications will become a controlled subsidiary, giving the company a foothold in optical communications.
China Telecom's backbone 100G ROADM equipment (2026) procurement project is set to use direct procurement, covering ROADM network expansion equipment and services for five regions - North China, South China, Northwest, Southwest, and Northeast - as well as the Xinjiang (China-Kazakhstan) domestic extension segment. The direct procurement suppliers are Huawei, ZTE, and FiberHome.
Shenzhen Zhishang Technology announced the signing of a 2027 Demand Forecast Cooperation Memorandum with customer PH. The customer expects to purchase MPO fiber optic patch cords and other fiber optic connectors from the company in 2027, with a forecast target value of $500 million (approximately 3.346 billion yuan). C114 believes optical interconnect demand has expanded from optical modules and optical fiber cables to upstream optical components.
Why we recommend it: The article gives a $500 million connector demand forecast from a single customer, directly showing how AI optical interconnect demand is flowing upstream to components
Lightwave congratulates the winners of the 2026 Diamond Technology Review, recognizing products and technologies in optical communications.
JEDEC has released the JESD264 standard, setting new certification and reliability requirements for the emerging silicon photonics market. It is the first reliability standard for silicon photonics in AI networks.
Why we recommend it: The article explains that silicon photonic devices now have a dedicated reliability certification standard for the first time, helping understand the threshold for silicon photonics entering large-scale AI network deployment
Lumentum CEO Michael Hurlston said in an interview in Tokyo that about 70% of demand for some products will remain unmet next year, while other products still face a 30% demand gap through 2028. The company's 2029 capacity is almost fully booked, and it is ramping production at full speed.
Why we recommend it: The article provides specific demand gap percentages, directly reflecting the tightness of laser chips upstream in AI optical communications
Lightwave reports a market forecast that the Ethernet optical transceiver market will grow 120% in 2026, driven by AI data center construction.