Microsoft and MediaTek collaborate on a Micro LED active optical cable (AOC) with 800 Gbps speeds, low power, and high reliability for AI and data centers, set for 2027 launch.
© A. Krivonosov
Microsoft and MediaTek have announced a joint development project for an active optical cable (AOC) using Micro LED technology, with commercialization targeted by the end of 2027. This new cable combines the benefits of traditional copper connections and laser optical technologies, offering low power consumption and high reliability for modern computing systems and AI infrastructure.
The Micro LED technology enables direct modulation of light signals without complex digital signal processors (DSP), cutting power consumption by about half compared to traditional VCSEL-based AOCs. Its simple design, high durability, and temperature resilience make Micro LED AOC as reliable as copper cables while extending data transmission range.
The system incorporates a monolithic specialized CMOS sensor along with integrated arrays of micro LEDs and photosensitive sensors, ensuring high system integration. Additionally, the cable uses multi-channel fiber optic lines, replacing narrowband high-speed connections with a broadband low-speed approach for efficient infrastructure scaling.
Micro LED AOC can achieve data transfer speeds of 800 Gbps and higher in standard QSFP/OSFP form factors, making it a promising solution for data centers and high-performance computing systems. Microsoft also mentioned the use of hollow-core fibers (HCF), already deployed in some Azure facilities, for even higher data transmission speeds.
Micro LED AOC and hollow-core fiber technologies will be officially introduced for the first time at the OFC 2026 symposium and exhibition, showcasing the companies' readiness to implement innovative optical solutions in commercial networks.