MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — March 12, 2026 — Lightmatter, the leader in photonic (super)computing, todayannounced its role as a founding member of the XPO (eXtra-dense Pluggable Optics) Multi-Source Agreement (MSA).Organized by Arista Networks, the XPO MSA aims to define a next-generationoptical transceiver form factor designed to meet the massive bandwidth,reliability, and density requirements of hyperscale AI data centers.
As AI models grow in complexity, traditionalpluggable optical transceivers have struggled to keep pace with the performancedemands of next-generation switches and XPUs. The XPO specification addressesthese bottlenecks by enabling a 4X increase in switch rack density compared toconventional pluggable transceivers, including OSFP. As a founding member,Lightmatter is leveraging its silicon photonics expertise to help evolvepluggable architecture, bringing its industry-leading bandwidth density as a keydifferentiator.
“The rapid growth of AI infrastructurerequires a fundamental rethinking of interconnects across the entire datacenter,” said Nick Harris, founder and CEO of Lightmatter. “Joining the XPO MSAallows Lightmatter to contribute our expertise in high-bandwidth-densityphotonics to a collaborative, multi-vendor ecosystem. We are committed todelivering differentiated solutions that eliminate data bottlenecks across allinterconnect categories, helping the industry move beyond the limitations oftraditional pluggables and copper-based interconnects.”
Key advantages of the XPO platform, enhancedby Lightmatter’s Passage™ photonic interconnect technology, include: ● HigherBandwidth Density:Best-in-class fiber bandwidth density with Lightmatter’s industry-leadingbi-directional link architecture. ● IntegratedLiquid Cooling: The XPOdesign features an integrated cold plate, the most efficient way to manage heatin next-generation liquid-cooled AI data centers. ● EnhancedReliability: By reducingcomponent counts and operating at lower temperatures, XPO offers substantialimprovement in reliability per bit. ● ArchitecturalFlexibility: The MSA supportsa range of optics technologies—including standards such as Data Center Reach,Fabric Reach and Long Reach. Lightmatter willshowcase its latest photonic innovations at the Optical Fiber Communication(OFC) conference in Los Angeles, from March 15-19, 2026. For more information,please visit https://lightmatter.co/event/ofc-2026/.
About Lightmatter Lightmatter® is leading a revolution in AIdata center infrastructure, enabling the next giant leaps in human progress.The company’s groundbreaking Passage platform—the world’s first 3D-stackedsilicon photonics engine—and Guide®—the industry's first VLSP™ lightengine—connect thousands to millions of processors. Designed to eliminatecritical data bottlenecks, Lightmatter’s technology delivers unprecedentedbandwidth density and energy efficiency for the most advanced AI andhigh-performance computing workloads, fundamentally redefining the architectureof next-generation AI infrastructure. Visit www.lightmatter.co to learn more.
Lightmatter, Passage,Guide and VLSP are trademarks of Lightmatter, Inc. Any other trademarks orregistered trademarks mentioned in this release are the property of theirrespective owners.
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