Ams Osram joins short-reach micro-emitter standards group
Ams Osram is joining the Short-Reach Micro-Emitter Optics (SRMO) workstream dedicated to developing a specification within the Open Compute Project (OCP) for a new class of high-speed data centre interconnects.
The industry initiative, led by Credo, brings together companies along the full optical stack to define interoperable standards for wide-parallel optical connectivity in next-generation AI infrastructure.
As AI fabrics and GPU clusters continue to expand, the industry needs substantially more connectivity while maintaining the very low latency required for tightly coupled computing. The goal is to combine copper-like cost and latency with optical reach while improving power and thermal efficiency.
At ECOC 2026, Ams Osram introdiced a next-generation 850 nm Thin-Film VCSEL platform designed for wide-and-slow optical interconnects and showed a connectorised multi-core fibre solution with ecosystem partner BizLink. The Short-Reach Micro-Emitter Optics (SRMO) workstream builds on this. It will address the market need for interoperable interconnects as wide, parallel micro-emitter technology drives new form factors across rapidly evolving scale-up and scale-out fabrics in AI data centres.
The common specification, targeted for OCP approval in 2027, will address requirements for signaling, power efficiency, form factors, modules and connector interfaces.
“Next-generation AI fabrics require optical reach without paying the traditional cost and latency penalty of high-speed optical links,” said Ashkan Seyedi, VP and general manager of Optical Interconnects at Ams Osram. “Wide-and-Slow micro-emitter and micro-receiver enable 20-30x reach as compared to copper but with bandwidth density and energy and cost efficiency of copper. By joining the SRMO Workstream, we are building the ecosystem to turn the technology demonstrated at ECOC into interoperable, manufacturable solutions at scale.”
“Wide, parallel micro-emitter technology is opening up new possibilities for AI data centre fabrics, and a common set of interoperable specifications will help the ecosystem realise them," said L.K. Bhupathi, associate VP of Product at Credo. "With the SRMO Workstream, Credo is looking forward to working alongside industry contributors to define specifications that will foster a resilient supply chain, faster deployment and continued innovation.”
Ams Osram plans to contribute to the emerging SRMO Framework, using 2D addressable microLED and microVCSEL emitter arrays, matching micro-photodiode receiver arrays, CMOS capabilities and advanced 3D packaging. The company's 850 nm platform uses GaAs and is compatible with widely deployed OM3 multimode fibre infrastructure. Depending on application requirements, the platform supports both microLED-based short-reach links and longer-reach microVCSEL-based links.
