Broadcom introduced the Taurus BCM83640, its first 3 nm 400 G/lane optical PAM‑4 digital signal processor. The chip supports 1.6 terabits‑per‑second transceiver solutions, effectively doubling the bandwidth per optical lane from 200 G to 400 G. This leap in lane rate allows a single‑rack‑unit system to deliver 102.4 terabits of switching capacity, laying the groundwork for future 3.2 terabit modules.
The new DSP enables AI data‑center networks to scale bandwidth without increasing the number of optical fibers, reducing power consumption and cost per bit. Broadcom projects shipping more than 100 million units of 1.6 T and 3.2 T transceivers over the next five years, with roughly half of those units expected to use 400 G optics. This forecast underscores the growing demand for high‑density interconnects in AI workloads.
Broadcom’s move strengthens its position as a key infrastructure supplier for hyperscalers. By pushing the IMDD technology envelope into 400 G/lane, the company expands its optical portfolio and reinforces its strategy to provide end‑to‑end AI networking solutions, including its Tomahawk series of Ethernet switches.
"Taurus, the industry's first 1.6T DSP based on 400G/lane I/O, doubles the throughput per lane to enable the next generation of 3.2T optical modules," said Vijay Janapaty, vice president and general manager of Broadcom's Physical Layer Products Division. "Crucially, Taurus pushes the IMDD technology envelope into 400G/lane, further reducing power and advancing our roadmap of cost‑optimized solutions for connectivity in AI and cloud networks."
"High‑speed optical interconnects are essential for operation of AI clusters," said Vladimir Kozlov, CEO and founder of LightCounting. "Doubling of the lane rates has been a proven strategy to keep up with the bandwidth growth, and it is great to see the first 400G per lane solutions becoming available."
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