Trio Announces External Light Sources for AI Datacenters

Sivers Semiconductors, O-Net, and Enablence Technologies partner to develop advanced external light source module for Co-Packaged Optics in AI and HPC systems.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 8:36am

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Sivers Semiconductors, O-Net Technologies, and Enablence Technologies have announced a strategic partnership to develop an advanced external light source (ELS) module using Sivers' laser arrays to support the rollout of Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) in AI datacenters and high-performance computing (HPC) systems. O-Net will serve as the ODM partner, integrating Sivers' laser arrays and Enablence's NxN Star Coupler to deliver a scalable ELS module.

Why it matters

CPO integrates most optical elements into GPU and Switch packages, delivering high-speed optical interconnects with 80% lower energy consumption compared to copper. The CPO market is projected to exceed $20 billion by 2036, growing at a CAGR of 37% from 2026 to 2036, with ELS solutions constituting 10% of this market. The partnership aims to enable a practical, scalable ELS aligned with the needs of HPC and AI datacenters.

The details

The ELS module will separate temperature-sensitive lasers from the extreme heat of high-power processors, ensuring wavelength stability and significantly enhancing system reliability and serviceability. Sivers' high-performance DFB laser arrays will deliver the reliability and wavelength stability required to accelerate the deployment of AI datacenters with CPO-based architectures. Enablence's NxN Star Coupler will enable efficient wavelength distribution at scale, unlocking an effective optical pathway for CPO-based architectures to keep pace with exponential growth in AI datacenter compute.

  • The partnership was announced on March 17, 2026.

The players

Sivers Semiconductors AB

A global leader in photonics and wireless technologies, providing laser arrays for the ELS module.

O-Net Technologies

The ODM partner, integrating Sivers' laser arrays and Enablence's components to deliver the scalable ELS module.

Enablence Technologies Inc.

Providing its NxN Star Coupler technology to enable efficient wavelength distribution at scale for the ELS module.

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What they’re saying

“ELS is a crucial companion to CPO because it separates temperature-sensitive lasers from the extreme heat of high-power processors, ensuring wavelength stability and significantly enhancing system reliability and serviceability.”

— Alex McCann, Managing Director for Sivers' Photonics business

“Together, we're enabling a practical, scalable ELS aligned with the needs of High-Performance Compute (HPC) and AI data centers.”

— Austin Na, CEO and Chairman of O-Net Technologies

“Our NxN Star Coupler enables efficient wavelength distribution at scale, and together we are unlocking an effective optical pathway for CPO based architectures to keep pace with exponential growth in AI data center compute.”

— Todd Haugen, CEO of Enablence Technologies

What’s next

The partners plan to deliver the advanced ELS module to support the rollout of Co-Packaged Optics in AI datacenters and HPC systems.

The takeaway

This partnership highlights the growing importance of external light source solutions to enable the widespread adoption of energy-efficient Co-Packaged Optics architectures in the rapidly expanding AI datacenter and high-performance computing markets.