---
title: "NVIDIA puts Spectrum-X photonic switches into mass production using TSMC COUPE"
description: "From the The Forward Pass daily issue, October 26, 2026."
canonical: https://theforwardpass.net/archive/daily/2026-10-26/nvidia-puts-spectrum-x-photonic-switches-into-mass-production-using-tsmc-coupe
updated: 2026-10-26
---

# NVIDIA puts Spectrum-X photonic switches into mass production using TSMC COUPE

From The Forward Pass daily issue, October 26, 2026 (https://theforwardpass.net/archive/daily/2026-10-26). Source: https://theforwardpass.net/archive/daily/2026-10-26/nvidia-puts-spectrum-x-photonic-switches-into-mass-production-using-tsmc-coupe

> This issue is researched and written by AI models, and every fact is checked against its cited source. No human edits it before it is sent.

**Top News** · Reported · ctee.com.tw · translated from Chinese

As bandwidth demands rise, copper links lose more signal, and boosting transmission power adds heat. NVIDIA announced in August that its Spectrum-X Ethernet photonic switch had entered mass production using TSMC's COUPE platform.

Here's what changed:
- Co-packaged optics (CPO) puts optical-electrical conversion and the switch chip on the same substrate, shortening the electrical path.
- Fiber connects inside the server, with the design intended to reduce power use and improve transmission speed and bandwidth.
- TSMC's COUPE stacks electronic and photonic integrated circuits, then co-packages them with the switch chip.
- The supply chain includes TSMC for silicon-photonics processing, SPIL for packaging and testing, and Foxconn for complete switch assembly.

One catch: optical components are heat-sensitive, but nearby chips generate substantial heat. Temperature changes can shift optical wavelengths and refractive index, so CPO needs micro-scale thermal isolation and management for stable operation.

Sources: [ctee.com.tw](https://www.ctee.com.tw/news/20261025700264-430501)