Keysight Technologies Partners with NTT and Lumentum to Achieve Breakthrough in Data Transmission

The joint demonstration highlights the companies' commitment to facilitating the evolution of high-speed optical communications, crucial for the growing requirements of AI and ML workloads. With the transmission speed reaching 448 Gbps, this technology is designed to accelerate data movement between compute and network nodes, effectively reducing latency and enhancing the efficiency of AI/ML models. As the complexity of these models continues to rise, the necessity for higher data throughput becomes paramount to support scalability without encountering bottlenecks.

The innovative demonstration leveraged two Keysight M8199B Arbitrary Waveform Generators, paired with NTT’s advanced frequency-domain interleaver, to generate the 448 Gbps electrical signals with 224 Gbaud PAM4. This signal was then utilized to drive a Lumentum indium phosphide (InP) externally-modulated laser (EML), showcasing the potential for high-speed, power-efficient optical interconnects. Additionally, the demonstration successfully produced 240 Gbaud PAM4, highlighting the robustness and versatility of the hardware involved.

The configuration of the demonstration included:

The collaboration received strong endorsements from industry leaders involved in the project. Dr. Akimasa Kaneko, Executive Vice President of Photonic Component Business Group at NTT Innovative Devices, stated, “We see this collaboration between the three companies as an important step in further evolving next-generation high-speed optical communications and the AI infrastructure. We are confident that we have prepared the fundamental technologies necessary to realize 400G/lane in a timely manner, and we hope that this will help further develop this industry.”

Dr. Matthew Sysak, Chief Technology Officer at Lumentum, remarked, “Achieving 448 Gbps transmission is a significant milestone in advancing optical interconnects for AI-driven cloud infrastructure. This collaboration underscores Lumentum’s expertise in photonics and our commitment to delivering cutting-edge optical components that support the rapid expansion of AI and cloud data centers.”

Dr. Joachim Peerlings, Vice President of Network and Data Center Solutions at Keysight Technologies, added, “This collaboration showcases the cutting-edge advancements in high-speed optical communication and highlights the combined strengths of Keysight, NTT Innovative Devices, and Lumentum. This demo is another milestone for Keysight to enable the industry in advancing the AI infrastructure.”

The 448 Gbps joint demonstration was showcased at booth #1301 during OFC 2025, held from April 1-3 at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. This event provided an opportunity for industry professionals to witness firsthand the capabilities of the latest technologies and their implications for the future of data center networks.

Keysight’s M8199B Arbitrary Waveform Generator and N1032A/B DCA-X Sampling Oscilloscopes are integral components of the Keysight Artificial Intelligence (KAI) architecture, a comprehensive portfolio of end-to-end solutions aimed at scaling AI processing capacity in data centers. As AI and ML applications continue to grow, the importance of innovative solutions to meet their demands cannot be overstated.

This collaboration between Keysight Technologies, NTT Innovative Devices, and Lumentum marks a pivotal moment in the development of high-speed optical communications, setting the stage for future innovations that promise to reshape the landscape of data centers and AI infrastructure.