Mixx Technologies Unveils SxC™ Connector for Near-Package Optics

SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 4, 2026 /CourierPR/ -- Mixx Technologies, a US-based company specializing in optical connectivity solutions for hyperscale AI infrastructure, has unveiled its SxC™ Connector, a key component in the near-package optical scale-up strategy. The connector, launched in September, is designed to address the challenges of high-density optical interconnects, ensuring low loss and reliability.

The SxC™ Connector, part of Mixx's HBxIO™ platform, boasts a typical fiber-to-fiber loss of 0.2 dB, with a maximum of 0.5 dB. This performance is crucial for maintaining the link budget, which is the total loss of laser power a link can tolerate between the emitter and the receiver. Each connection within the link budget spends part of this loss, making the SxC™ Connector a vital component for high-radix networks.

In a high-radix network, the number of ports on each switch, known as radix, determines the number of switching layers. A higher radix reduces latency, lowers power consumption, and minimizes the potential for failure points. Mixx's SxC™ Connector supports a high fiber density, carrying up to 24,576 fibers in a single Open Compute Project rack unit, four times the fiber density of Multi-Media Connector (MMC) solutions. This high fiber count is achieved through the use of optical structures formed at wafer scale, allowing for a two-dimensional array of fibers that ensures low loss.

The transition of optical fiber deeper into the network, towards near-package optics, is driven by the need for reliability and ease of maintenance. Near-package optics place the optics next to the host chip, inside the box, where physical-contact connectors have traditionally carried the network. However, these connectors are prone to issues such as dust, oil, and scratches, which can block the single-mode light traveling in a core about 9 microns across. To address these challenges, Mixx Technologies has adopted Expanded Beam Optics, which widens the beam to about 80 microns, carries it across a small air gap, and refocuses it into the receiving fiber. This design results in a 20x reduction in mating force and an 85% reduction in install and clean time.

The Expanded Beam Optics Multi-Source Agreement (EBO MSA), an industry group developing open, interoperable specifications for Expanded Beam Optics connectivity in AI data centers, now has over 60 members, including both end users and suppliers. The EBO MSA is working on a 128-fiber design specification, aiming to standardize the socket beside the package and enable modules from multiple vendors. Mixx Technologies is contributing to this effort by building an Open CPX module that pairs the optical engine of its HBxIO™ platform with a detachable SxC™ connector. This design allows for separate testing and replacement of the engine and fiber in manufacturing and the field, respectively.

CEO Vivek Raghuraman of Mixx Technologies emphasized the importance of a single connector technology across the signal chain.

The move to optical connectivity inside the box is driven by the need for copper-class dependability. As hyperscalers integrate optics into the box, the reliability of the connector becomes critical. Mixx Technologies is addressing this challenge by focusing on the termination process, which is a bottleneck across the industry as fiber counts scale. The company is adopting semiconductor assembly techniques to enable a high throughput process, ensuring that the SxC™ Connector can be deployed at scale.

In conclusion, Mixx Technologies is at the forefront of the near-package optics revolution, providing a reliable and high-density solution through its SxC™ Connector. As hyperscalers continue to move optics into the box, the success of this technology will be crucial for maintaining the performance and reliability of AI infrastructure.