Adtran has launched the LiteWave800, an 800 Gbit/s DR8 linear pluggable optics (LPO) module aimed at intra-data center links where AI clusters and GPU fabrics are running into power, thermal, latency, and cost constraints. The company is positioning the module as a lower-power alternative to first-generation LPOs and mainstream DSP-based 800G pluggables for short-reach scaling across dense server racks.
Adtran claims LiteWave800 operates at 1 pJ/bit and consumes 0.8 W. The module is based on a “fully re-engineered” architecture, and is described as a low-latency DR8 LPO design intended for high-density, latency-sensitive links that underpin AI and ML fabrics.
On the design side, Adtran says LiteWave800 combines single-mode VCSEL technology with the company’s in-house low-power electronics and integration approach to streamline the signal path, reduce latency, and improve energy-per-bit performance. The company’s pitch is vertical integration at the module level: by “owning both the optics and the electronics,” it says it can optimize the design in ways that aren’t possible with discrete component implementations.
For interoperability, Adtran says LiteWave800 supports the LPO MSA specification, based on a standardized 100 Gbit/s-DR-LPO optical interface and the OSFP form factor. In practical terms, that’s meant to ease integration into existing host devices and support multi-vendor environments, assuming host platforms and switch optics cages support the same MSA targets.
“Data center operators are hitting a wall on power and thermal budgets as AI workloads continue to scale,” said Christoph Glingener, CTO of Adtran. “It sets a new benchmark for 800Gbit/s optics by delivering dramatically improved energy efficiency, reducing the power and cooling envelope and giving operators a practical way to expand AI clusters without expanding their energy footprint.”
Ross Saunders, GM of optical engines at Adtran, made a direct comparison to other approaches: “And with power dissipation approximately 12 to 18 times lower than DSP-based optics and 6 to 10 times lower than first-generation LPOs, LiteWave800 raises the bar for efficiency in AI data-center fabrics.” Adtran didn’t provide pricing or a general availability date in the announcement, but pointed to “slides” for additional information.
Source: Adtran
