Rumor

TSMC COUPE platform drives expansion in co-packaged optics equipment supply chain

Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 09:20 AM

An analysis of the Co-packaged Optics (CPO) supply chain highlights TSMC's COUPE platform as the industry standard, utilizing 65nm Silicon Photonics and SoIC hybrid bonding. The report identifies key equipment suppliers benefiting from the ramp-up of this technology, including Besi for hybrid bonders, Robotec and Allring Tech for alignment and coupling, and Teradyne and Chroma for testing systems. TSMC's SoIC capacity is projected to expand from 15k wafers per month (WPM) in 2026 to 40-50k WPM by 2027, driving increased orders for manufacturing and inspection tools.

Context

As AI workloads outpace traditional I/O capabilities, TSMC is accelerating its COUPE platform to integrate silicon photonics directly into advanced chip packages. This co-packaged optics (CPO) solution leverages SoIC-X hybrid bonding to connect electronic and photonic integrated circuits with 40% lower energy consumption per bit compared to traditional micro-bumps. Key customers like Nvidia and Broadcom are already adopting this architecture for next-generation network switches, driving a massive expansion in the specialized equipment supply chain required for precision alignment and complex testing. Equipment providers are seeing immediate tailwinds, with Besi expected to see demand for hybrid bonders more than double as TSMC scales SoIC capacity from 15,000 wafers per month in 2026 to nearly 50,000 by 2027. Testing intensity is also surging; Teradyne has partnered with ficonTEC to launch high-volume double-sided wafer probe cells, while Chroma ATE and Allring Tech provide critical metrology and coupling tools. With the CPO market forecasted to reach $20 billion by 2036, these infrastructure suppliers are central to overcoming the "interconnect wall" in AI data centers.

Sources (14)

Operational Highlights [PDF] INVESTOR DAY PRESENTATION June 6, 2024 - Besi Teradyne Announces Production System for Double-Sided Wafer Probe Test for Silicon Photonics :: Teradyne, Inc. (TER)TSMC Targets 150000 CoWoS Wafers to Fuel NVIDIA's Rubin ...Co Packaged Optics (CPO) – Scaling with Light for the Next Wave of Interconnect [PDF] Wolfspeed produces first single-crystal 300mm SiC wafer Teradyne Announces Production System for Double-Sided Wafer Probe Test for Silicon Photonics Teradyne at Morgan Stanley Conference: AI Opportunities ...

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