ADVANCING COPPER INTERCONNECTS FOR AI-SCALE DATA CENTERS

Artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads are rapidly reshaping data center architectures, driving the need for higher bandwidth, lower latency, and more efficient system designs. As the industry advances toward 448 Gb/s per-lane signaling—representing the pathway to 448G systems—interconnect performance has become a critical enabler of scalable AI infrastructure. 

Recognized with the DesignCon 2026 Best Paper Award, this technical paper—developed in collaboration between TE Connectivity and Semtech—provides a comprehensive system-level evaluation of next-generation copper interconnect solutions. 

The paper explores how passive and active copper cable assemblies can support extreme data rates, addressing key challenges such as signal integrity, channel loss, crosstalk, and power efficiency. It also examines advanced modulation schemes—including PAM4, PAM6, and PAM8—and the trade-offs required to balance performance, complexity, and energy consumption at scale. 

Submit the form to download the paper to gain deeper insights into the technologies, trade-offs, and design strategies shaping the transition to 448G data center infrastructure.