Hengtong Optic-Electric Showcases AI Computing Optical Fiber at CIOE

Optical fiber has become core infrastructure for AI computing power. At CIOE China International Optoelectronic Exposition, which opened on September 9, leading fiber manufacturers turned out in force, showcasing a rich array of new fiber products that, alongside optical modules, became a major industry focus.

Among them, the Hengtong Optic-Electric booth stood out in particular. Under the theme "Fiber Connecting Mountains and Seas, Light Illuminating the Future," Hengtong Optic-Electric's showcase covered a full range of AI computing fibers and scenario-based solutions, as well as emerging business initiatives. It also held a launch event for new CPO/NPO specialty fibers, drawing crowds of visitors and becoming a highlight of the exhibition hall.

Polarization-maintaining fiber takes the spotlight

The hottest AI computing fiber right now is polarization-maintaining fiber. As the AI computing industry iterates at high speed, CPO (co-packaged optics) has become a key technology route for optical interconnect in next-generation AI data centers, thanks to its core advantages of low latency, high bandwidth and low power consumption. As the core transmission medium that preserves the polarization state of optical signals, polarization-maintaining fiber has seen its value redefined, opening up vast new market opportunities.

At the same time, conventional polarization-maintaining fibers commonly suffer from bare-fiber diameter variation and asymmetric "cat's eye" stress-region structures, and can no longer meet the demands of advanced CPO technology. C114 learned at the booth that Hengtong Optic-Electric's CPO/NPO-specific polarization-maintaining fiber delivers extreme performance of crosstalk ≤-30dB over 100 meters and beat length ≤4.0mm, ensuring highly stable light-source transmission and filling the domestic gap in industrialization of high-end CPO polarization-maintaining fiber.

According to the company, Hengtong Optic-Electric has mastered the full set of core processes, from stress-rod and preform preparation for polarization-maintaining fiber to drawing and testing, and connector fabrication and packaging, overcoming key technical challenges in diameter precision, crosstalk, beat length and high/low-temperature stability. The products suit mainstream applications such as coherent modules and CPO optical engines, offering low crosstalk, high consistency and excellent splicing and polishing performance. They can meet the needs of 400G-1.6T high-speed optical interconnect and support the independent, controllable development of computing optical networks.

At Hengtong Optic-Electric's polarization-maintaining fiber launch event, the venue was packed with visitors, drawing widespread attention and underscoring the industry's keen interest.

Also worth noting is the "next-generation fiber" — hollow-core anti-resonant fiber. According to the company, Hengtong Optic-Electric's hollow-core anti-resonant fiber relies on the disruptive principle of transmitting optical signals through air, cutting latency by 33% compared with conventional solid-core fiber. The product's attenuation has now broken through 0.036 dB/km, reaching a world-leading level. The full-chain manufacturing process has been established, enabling large-scale batch delivery.

Scenario-based solutions that extend fiber technology advantages

Leveraging its leading optical fiber technology, Hengtong Optic-Electric offers customers more than optical fiber and cable products, delivering tailored solutions for specialized scenarios such as data centers, smart vehicles and 10G factories.

Among them, the data center optical interconnect solution is built on Hengtong Optic-Electric's self-developed hollow-core fiber, multi-core fiber, and G.654.E series specialty optical cable products, covering three core interconnect scenarios: data center clusters, campuses, and inter-rack connections. The product series has already been deployed by major domestic carriers, with mature technology and reliable implementation, helping carriers step up investment in computing network infrastructure.

The high-density solution for intelligent computing centers is designed for campus and short-distance rack-to-rack interconnect scenarios. It includes the industry-leading 6912-fiber ultra-high-density optical cable, the benchmark 1U 6912-fiber high-density patch panel, paired with 128-fiber SN-MT premium connectors, as well as our in-house developed FiberArmor integrated optical cable solution, delivering complete product coverage across all scenarios.

In the cutting-edge field of in-vehicle optical communication, Hengtong Optic-Electric has also developed an in-vehicle high-speed optical interconnect solution, including miniaturized in-vehicle optical engines and highly flexible, bend-resistant in-vehicle fiber optic harnesses. It enables high-speed access for HD cameras and radar, supports 4K/8K ultra-HD in-vehicle displays, and empowers the large-scale deployment of L4/L5 advanced autonomous driving and next-generation in-vehicle entertainment systems. The all-optical in-vehicle communication foundation is compatible with next-generation in-vehicle satellite communication architectures, meeting the needs of high-speed in-vehicle networking across multiple service scenarios.

As the owner of the global optical communications industry's first "lighthouse factory," Hengtong Optic-Electric is naturally adept at factory optical network coverage. Its TSN-PON 10-gigabit factory passive optical network solution for smart manufacturing combines conventional PON products with TSN-PON products to create an integrated converged optical foundation for the factory. A single fiber network carries production, security and office networks, supporting multiple services such as MES, AI quality inspection, video surveillance, sensors, industrial control and smart office, helping customers build Industry 4.0 smart factories.

With the commercial deployment of its TSN-PON industrial communication solution, Hengtong Optic-Electric has become the only company in the world to bring a TSN-PON industrial communication solution into commercial use, marking a historic leap for China from "following" to "leading" in the core field of industrial communications.

Impressions

Hengtong Optic-Electric's showcase at this year's CIOE reveals the company's strategic commitment to AI and its deep expertise in fiber optic technology. Frontier products such as hollow-core fiber and polarization-maintaining fiber dedicated to CPO/NPO have been launched one after another, and its AI computing fiber product portfolio continues to expand, making Hengtong Optic-Electric a key builder of computing infrastructure in the AI era.

At the same time, Hengtong Optic-Electric's business reach is broadening. TSN-PON 10-gigabit factories and in-vehicle optical communication are still in the early stages of the industry, but their future looks bright. Hengtong Optic-Electric's early moves not only accelerate the development of these emerging industries but also open up more possibilities for diversified innovation across its business.