First end-to-end PCIe Gen 6 over optics and Gen 7 SerDes demonstrated
Marvell Technology, in collaboration with TeraHop, will demonstrate the industry’s first end-to-end PCIe Gen 6 over optics at OFC 2025, showcasing the extension of PCIe reach beyond traditional electrical limits to enable low-latency, standards-based AI scale-up infrastructure.
As AI workloads drive exponential data growth, PCIe connectivity must evolve to support higher bandwidth and longer reach. The Marvell® Alaska® P PCIe Gen 6 retimer, along with its PCIe Gen 7 SerDes technology, enables low-latency, low bit-error-rate transmission over optical fibre, delivering the scalability, power efficiency, and high performance required for next-generation accelerated infrastructure. With PCIe over optics, system designers can benefit from longer links between devices while maintaining the low latency characteristic of PCIe technology.
At OFC 2025, Marvell and TeraHop will showcase the industry’s first successful transmission of PCIe Gen 6 signals between the root complex and endpoint over 10 meters of TeraHop OSFP-XD active optical cable, utilising the Alaska P PCIe Gen 6 retimer integrated into a TeraHop-developed PCIe Gen 6 retimed riser card. By retiming and converting PCIe Gen 6 electrical signals into optical data, reliable high-speed connectivity among AI accelerators, CPUs, CXL-pooled memory, SSDs, and NICs is ensured, unlocking new possibilities for AI-driven data centres.
Driven by an ever-increasing demand for AI, the industry expects the PCIe Gen 7 standard to be finalised this year. The companies will also demonstrate PCIe Gen 7 SerDes operating at 128 GT/s, transmitting signals through the TeraHop linear-drive pluggable optical (LPO) module, which provides a migration path to standard-based low-latency and high-performance connectivity.
“As a leader in high-speed optical interconnects, TeraHop has established a long-standing collaboration with Marvell that continues to drive industry adoption of cutting-edge, high-speed connectivity,” said Rang-Chen Yu, Vice President of Marketing, TeraHop. “This breakthrough demonstration of PCIe Gen 6 over optics highlights the potential of optical interconnects in AI and hyperscale infrastructure.”
“Marvell continues to lead the industry with the first end-to-end PCIe Gen 6 over optics, delivering the critical interconnect technology needed to scale up AI infrastructure,” said Xi Wang, vice president and General Manager of Connectivity Business Unit at Marvell. “With our strong leadership in PAM technology, generational expertise in PCIe progression, and custom accelerated infrastructure silicon, we enable hyperscalers to optimise their AI architectures for maximum performance, efficiency, and scalability.”
www.marvell.com
www.terahop.com
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