Optics Weekly · Week 38, 2026 · Sep 13–19
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NPO Heads Toward Large-Scale Deployment
This issue covers September 13-19, 2026. Cloud providers and operators spoke with one voice at the CIOE forum: Tencent said NPO will ramp quickly and OCS is poised for large-scale deployment, Alibaba Cloud said next year's optical module deployments will exceed all previous years combined, and Eoptolink stressed that pluggables remain the mainstay. On the AR side, the metalens commercialization path is becoming clearer, but planned diffractive waveguide capacity of nearly 7 million units/year is clearly out of step with first-half AR glasses sales of 408,000 units. In research, SIOM achieved the first absolute wavefront measurement of an EUV source, while dual-comb ghost imaging with deep-learning reconstruction and suspended-metasurface mid-infrared modulation also made progress.
NPO vs. Pluggables
In this sectionTencent, Alibaba Cloud, Baidu and the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) all voiced support at the CIOE forum for NPO achieving scale first. Eoptolink expects NPO products to ship in volume in 2027, while maintaining that pluggable optical modules remain the dominant form factor.
Tencent's Zou Xianneng: NPO Will Ramp Up Quickly, OCS Poised for Large-Scale Deployment
Speaking at the CIOE forum, Tencent's Zou Xianneng said NPO will ramp up quickly and OCS is poised for large-scale deployment.
Alibaba Cloud's Chen Qin: NPO Is the Optimal Solution; Next Year's Optical Module Deployments Will Exceed the All-Time Total
Chen Qin of Alibaba Cloud outlined the evolution from 3.2T NPO to 6.4-12.8T UPO at the CIOE forum, saying that next year's optical module deployments will exceed the cumulative total of all previous years.
Baidu's Wan Yi: AI Cluster Optical Networks Evolve Along Two Main Lines, with NPO Scaling First
Speaking at the CIOE forum, Baidu optical network architect Wan Yi said that Scale-Up and Scale-Out will evolve along two parallel main lines, with NPO being the first to achieve large-scale deployment.
CAICT's Zhao Wenyu: NPO Commercial Deployment Imminent
Zhao Wenyu of the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) said at the CIOE forum that commercial deployment of NPO is imminent and that it is the preferred solution for current AI computing infrastructure.
Eoptolink's Zhang Jinshuang: Pluggable Optical Modules Remain the Absolute Mainstay
Speaking at the CIOE forum, Eoptolink's Zhang Jinshuang said that multiple high-speed optical interconnect technology paths will coexist, while pluggable optical modules remain the absolute mainstay.
Eoptolink: NPO Products Expected to Ship in Volume in 2027
Eoptolink said at its interim results briefing that 1.6T and 800G are the main products this year, with NPO products expected to ship in volume in 2027.
Mismatch in AR Optics Supply and Demand
In this sectionCommercialization paths for metalenses in eye tracking, ToF and AI glasses are becoming clearer; planned domestic diffractive waveguide capacity is nearing 7 million units/year, far exceeding actual AR glasses sales; Hongshi Intelligent and Tsinghua are teaming up on MicroLED optics challenges.
OFweek Optics · NewsOptics industryOptics and AISep 18Eye Tracking, ToF, AI Glasses: The Commercialization Path for Metalenses Becomes Clearer
An article by VR Tuoluo notes that metalenses had a noticeably stronger presence at CIOE 2026, with NIL Technology showcasing metaEye for AR/VR eye tracking. The article maps out the application paths for metalenses in eye tracking, ToF and AI glasses.
OFweek Optics · NewsOptics industryOptics and AISep 16Optical Waveguide Capacity of 7 Million Units/Year: How Many AR Glasses Can Sell?
China's planned diffractive optical waveguide capacity is nearly 7 million units per year, while Runto data show that China sold 408,000 AR glasses in the first half of 2026, up 109.4% year on year, indicating a clear mismatch between capacity and demand.
OFweek Optics · NewsOptics industryOptics and AISep 16Hongshi Intelligence and Tsinghua University Team Up on MicroLED Optics Challenges
Hongshi Intelligence has formed a strategic partnership with Cao Liangcai's team in Tsinghua University's Department of Precision Instruments to tackle the narrowing of light emission angles and optical energy losses in MicroLED microdisplay light sources, supporting lightweight optical engines for AI glasses.
OFweek Optics · NewsOptics industryOptics and AISep 15RUNTO: AR Glasses Split into AI HUD and Cinema/Spatial Computing Camps
In the first half of 2026, China's smart glasses sold 909,000 units across all channels, up 85.5% year over year, with sales revenue of RMB 1.88 billion. AR glasses are splitting into lightweight AI HUD models and large-screen cinema/spatial computing models.
Precision Optics Research
In this sectionSIOM achieved the first absolute wavefront measurement of an EUV source using a photon sieve, and reported progress on picosecond laser mirror damage resistance, Ti/Ni laser bonding and VO₂ phase-change thermo-optical dynamics.
SIOM · Research UpdatesFirst-partyOptics industrySep 15SIOM Achieves First Absolute Wavefront Measurement of an EUV Light Source
The Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics and Harbin Institute of Technology have used a photon sieve to achieve the first absolute wavefront measurement of an EUV light source, solving the challenge of absolute wavefront measurement for extreme-ultraviolet and soft X-ray sources.
SIOM · Research UpdatesFirst-partyOptics industrySep 15Al2O3/HfO2 Nanolaminate Gradient-Index Structure Boosts Damage Resistance of Picosecond Laser Reflection Coatings
A team led by Jianda Shao and Meiping Zhu used an Al2O3/HfO2 nanolaminate gradient-index structure to improve the damage resistance of picosecond laser reflection thin films.
SIOM · Research UpdatesFirst-partyOptics industrySep 15SIOM Achieves Highly Reliable Laser Joining of Titanium Alloys and Nickel-Based Superalloys
A team led by Yang Shanglu at the Shanghai Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics has suppressed brittle intermetallic compounds in laser joining of dissimilar Ti/Ni materials, improving joint reliability.
SIOM · Research UpdatesFirst-partyOptics industrySep 15Shanghai Institute of Optics and Mechanics Reveals Thermo-Optical Dynamics of Laser-Driven Phase Transition in VO2
A team led by Jun Wang has revealed the multi-stage process of a VO2/SiO2 heterostructure under continuous mid-infrared laser driving, from thermal accumulation and phase-transition acceleration to thermal saturation.
Computational Imaging and Modulation
In this sectionDual-comb compressed ghost imaging with deep-learning reconstruction enables hyperspectral imaging; suspended silicon metasurface chips speed mid-infrared modulation; cascaded zero-dispersion recirculating loops improve long-loop OEO performance.
Light: Science & ApplicationsOptics industryOptics and AISep 16Hyperspectral Dual-Comb Compressive Ghost Imaging with Deep Learning Reconstruction
A paper in Light: Science & Applications combines dual combs with compressive ghost imaging and uses deep learning reconstruction to achieve hyperspectral imaging.
Optics & Photonics NewsOptics industrySep 16Suspended Metasurfaces Speed Up Mid-Infrared Modulation
Researchers from Switzerland, China and Russia have fabricated a 1 cm² chip wafer containing 49 silicon metasurfaces for high-speed modulation of mid-infrared lasers.
Light: Science & ApplicationsOptics industrySep 16Cascaded Zero-Dispersion Recirculating Loops Break the Phase Noise and Mode Purity Trade-Off in Long-Loop OEOs
A paper in Light: Science & Applications proposes cascaded zero-dispersion recirculating loops, achieving both low phase noise and high mode purity in long-loop optoelectronic oscillators.
Laser Focus WorldOptics industrySep 18New UCSD Optical Storage Can Dynamically Hide or Display Multiple Images
The Abdoulaye Ndao laboratory at the University of California San Diego has developed a new optical data storage method that can store multiple images in a compact device and dynamically hide or display them.