April 2, 2026 -
As GPU designs evolve toward denser chip-to-chip connectivity and faster data rates, optical transmission is taking on a bigger role. Foundry giants are also moving in, with TSMC’s COUPE silicon photonics platform expected to enter volume production in 2026—marking a key step toward co-packaged optics (CPO) deployment, according to Commercial Times.
TSMC previously explained COUPE (Compact Universal Photonic Engine) uses SoIC-X chip stacking to place an electrical die directly on top of a photonic die, enabling ultra-low impedance at the die-to-die interface and higher energy efficiency compared with conventional stacking approaches. The roadmap targets qualification for small-form-factor pluggables in 2025, followed by CoWoS-based CPO integration in 2026.