Lightera recently announced it has signed a licensing agreement with Senko Advanced Components for the SN-MT optical connector technology. The agreement expands Lightera’s very small form factor (VSFF) optical connectivity portfolio.

Developed by Senko Advanced Components, the SN-MT optical connector is designed to enable high-density multi-fiber connectivity in a compact footprint. “The technology offers low insertion loss, simplified handling, and compatibility with emerging optical architectures, including those being developed for future AI and high-performance computing infrastructure,” Lightera said when it announced the agreement with Senko. “As AI, cloud computing, and hyperscale data center deployments continue to accelerate worldwide, the demand for high-density optical connectivity solutions is growing rapidly. Data center operators are increasingly adopting next-generation interconnect technologies that maximize space utilization, improve scalability, and support higher network capacities while maintaining exceptional performance.”

Following the licensing authorization process, Lightera is now authorized to manufacture and supply SN-MT optical connector solutions worldwide, to customers including operators of large-scale cloud and AI data center infrastructure.

Lightera added, “The agreement expands the global SN-MT ecosystem by providing customers with an additional qualified source of high-density optical connectivity solutions, strengthening supply chain resilience for next-generation data center deployments.”
The company also said it will leverage its vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities “to provide a comprehensive solution spanning ferrules, connector components, and assembled connectivity products, manufactured to meet the quality and performance requirements of hyperscale and AI data center deployments. Building upon decades of experience in high-volume MPO connector manufacturing, the company is well-positioned to support growing market requirements while contributing to a stable and resilient supply chain for advanced optical interconnect technologies.”

Senko Advanced Components’ director of strategic marketing Phil Ward commented, “As AI infrastructure scales globally, it is essential that the industry has access to multiple qualified suppliers of advanced connectivity technologies. By licensing SN-MT technology to Lightera, Senko is strengthening the optical connectivity ecosystem, expanding supply chain resilience, and giving customers greater confidence as they deploy increasingly dense and bandwidth-intensive network architectures.

Satoshi Koyanagi, vice president of Lightera Japan’s connectivity division, observed, “The addition of SN-MT technology further strengthens Lightera’s VSFF portfolio and enables us to provide customers with advanced connectivity solutions designed to support next-generation data center infrastructure. The expansion of our VSFF portfolio reflects our commitment to delivering innovative solutions that help customers address increasing bandwidth demands, improve network density, and prepare for the future of AI and hyperscale data center infrastructure.”