How Co Packaged Optics Is Transforming Optical Test & Measurement

Co Packaged Optics (CPO) is rapidly reshaping next generation switch architectures by placing silicon photonics engines directly beside the switch ASIC, unlocking major gains in bandwidth density and power efficiency. But this shift also upends long established optical test practices. As lasers move off the PIC and into high power, multi channel external modules such as the OIF’s new ELSFP standard, test engineers must adapt to new optical distribution models, higher splitter losses, and dramatically expanded lane counts. This talk will outline how external laser architectures fundamentally change PIC characterization and production testing—raising requirements for power stability, linewidth purity, polarization control, and automated high density measurement. We will compare source types used in CPO environments, highlight test strategies that scale to dozens of parallel channels, and show how modern modular platforms enable synchronized wavelength, power, and alignment workflows. Attendees will gain a practical framework for designing CPO ready test benches that preserve measurement integrity, improve throughput, and accelerate the yield ramp for next generation optical switching.