Marvell has announced an expansion of its ZR and ZR+ coherent digital signal processor (DSP) and pluggable portfolio, including what it calls the industry’s first 1.6 T ZR and ZR+ data center interconnect (DCI) pluggable and two 2 nm coherent DSPs with integrated media access control security (MACsec). Marvell positions the additions as a way to securely scale “scale-across” connectivity for hyperscale AI and cloud data center networks.
The new 1.6 T product is the Marvell COLORZ 1600 pluggable, powered by Marvell Electra, which Marvell describes as the industry’s first 2 nm 1.6 T ZR and ZR+ coherent DSP. Marvell also introduced Libra, described as the industry’s first 2 nm 800G ZR and ZR+ coherent DSP, which Marvell says enables a lower-power, second-generation COLORZ 800 pluggable. Marvell reports the new products add in-chip MACsec and are intended to deliver “efficient, high-performance and secure optical transmission” for hyperscale AI and cloud DCI networks.
Marvell says ZR and ZR+ connectivity is increasingly used to handle distributed AI traffic between data centers, citing requirements for high bandwidth, low power, and built-in security. It also says coherent pluggable demand is expected to surge through 2030 and notes that scaling this technology depends on both coherent expertise and the ability to rapidly scale manufacturing; Marvell reports it is expanding its pluggable manufacturing capacity to support “high-volume yields” for global AI hyperscale and cloud data center infrastructure.
For 1.6 T links, Marvell says COLORZ 1600 targets campus (20 km), metro (120 km), and regional (1,000 km) data center connectivity at 1.6 T. Marvell reports it includes in-chip MACsec, “full interoperability across OIF, OpenZR+ and OpenROADM modes,” and support for C and L bands in an OSFP form factor, while “significantly reducing power per bit compared to existing solutions.”
For 800G and below, Marvell says the Libra-powered COLORZ 800 targets “scale-across interconnects” and supports metro data centers up to 1,000 km apart at 800G, regional data centers up to 2,000 km apart at 600G, and up to 3,000 km apart at 400G. Marvell reports it supports “full interoperability across OIF, OpenZR+ and OpenROADM modes,” is available for both C and L bands, and comes in QSFP-DD or OSFP form factors; Marvell also claims it “significantly reduces DCI capital costs compared to traditional systems.”
Marvell says Electra and Libra coherent DSPs, plus COLORZ 1600 and the Libra DSP-enabled COLORZ 800 pluggables, are expected to begin sampling to customers in the second half of 2026. Marvell also said it will showcase its “current-generation ZR/ZR+ coherent solutions” at OFC 2026 (March 15–19) at the Los Angeles Convention Center, Booth 1600.
Source: Marvell
