Webinar Recap: Low-Power 1.6T Datacom Transceivers and the Path to 3.2T

On March 25, 2025, Semtech participated in the "Low-Power 1.6T Datacom Transceivers and the Path to 3.2T" webinar hosted by Cignal AI. The session brought together leaders from top companies such as Arista, Lumentum and Marvell to explore the latest advancements in optical transceiver technology. 

Tackling Power Challenges in AI Data Centers 

The webinar addressed the growing power demands in artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, where computing requirements are increasing by 2 to 3 times annually. Semtech presented its Linear Pluggable Optics (LPO) and Linear Receive Optics (LRO) as key solutions to this challenge. 

These cutting-edge linear modules offer impressive power savings—approximately 50 to 60 percent less than full retimed solutions. In a large-scale 500,000 GPU cluster, this efficiency could save over 100 megawatts of power annually, resulting in around $100 million in electricity cost reductions. The energy saved can be redirected to increase GPU computing capacity, helping data centers meet growing AI demands. 

Innovating with Host Equalization and Linear Modules 

Semtech’s LPO and LRO technologies leverage host equalization to minimize power consumption. The LPO utilizes host equalization on both transmission and reception paths, while the LRO applies it on the reception path alone for greater robustness. 

Both solutions incorporate linear drivers and transimpedance amplifiers to minimize power overhead. These technologies, standardized by the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) with multi-vendor interoperability, also feature built-in link monitoring for simplified deployment. 

Enhancing Operational Reliability and Interoperability 

Semtech is enhancing its diagnostics and telemetry capabilities to address interoperability and reliability concerns. These improvements allow for monitoring at various test points, helping detect signal loss, ensure optical power consistency, and monitor both optical power and modulation. Additionally, end-to-end performance monitoring provides comprehensive link management to ensure optimal performance across all systems. 

Comparing Analog and Digital Signal Processing 

The webinar also compared analog and digital signal processing (DSP) approaches for 200G solutions, highlighting several advantages of analog designs: 

• Power Efficiency: Analog solutions consume less power—under 15 watts for 1.6T Linear Receive Optics—compared to approximately 20 watts for digital solutions. 

• Latency: Analog designs achieve lower absolute latency (less than 250 picoseconds) with minimal variation, while digital solutions have higher latency (under 10 nanoseconds) and greater variation. 

• Simplified Design: Analog solutions eliminate the need for analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog conversions, streamlining the overall design. 

To watch the full webinar on demand, click here: https://www.semtech.com/company/videos/signal-integrity-videos

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