POET Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:POET) has entered into a joint development agreement with Lessengers to create 1.6T 2×DR4 optical transceiver modules designed for artificial intelligence computing clusters and hyperscale data center networks.
The partnership will combine POET’s optical engines, built using its Optical Interposer platform, with Lessengers’ Direct Optical Wiring technology. The new transceiver design will integrate lasers, modulators, photodiodes and passive optical components onto a photonic platform, while Lessengers’ solution will enable optical connections between photonic devices and fiber interfaces.
The companies expect to deliver sample units of the 1.6T 2×DR4 transceiver module in the second quarter of 2026, aligning with the broader industry shift toward higher bandwidth optical connectivity to support AI-focused data center infrastructure.
“AI infrastructure is driving rapid increases in optical bandwidth requirements,” said Raju Kankipati, POET’s Chief Revenue Officer. “By combining POET’s Optical Interposer-based optical engines with Lessengers’ innovative Direct Optical Wiring technology, we are developing an efficient path toward 1.6T 2×DR4 transceiver modules.”
Taeyong Kim, Chief Marketing Officer at Lessengers, said the collaboration “brings together complementary innovations that support the development of compact, high-performance 1.6T optical modules for hyperscale and AI networking environments.”
According to a report from LightCounting cited in the announcement, the market for 1.6T DR8 optical modules is projected to exceed 125 million units between 2027 and 2031. The companies noted that DR8 and 2×DR4 solutions address the same segment of the market, differing mainly in the type of optical connector used.
Both POET Technologies and Lessengers plan to present their technologies at the 2026 OFC Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for March 16–19 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.