Zion Communication joins hands with Kovar technology supplier to promote innovation in optical communication module packaging

2025-05-22

The global optical communication market demand continues to grow, and high-speed, high-density optical module packaging technology has become the focus of the industry. Recently, Zion Communication Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Zion) announced that it will use innovative Kovar packaging tube shells in its new generation of 800G optical module products, which significantly improves the reliability and signal integrity of the product in extreme environments, and provides key technical guarantees for the deployment of 5G base stations, marine communications and hyperscale data centers.

Zion Communication joins hands with Kovar technology supplier to promote innovation in optical communication module packaging

Short Description:

Zion's 800G optical modules need to operate for a long time in a harsh temperature cycle of -40°C to 120°C and 90% humidity environment. Traditional aluminum alloy shells are prone to sealing failure due to the mismatch between the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) and glass/ceramic components.

The Kovar alloy packaging solution (CTE 4.8×10⁻⁶/°C) introduced this time reduces the helium leakage rate to <1×10⁻¹² atm·cc/s through zero-gap matching with the sealing material, which improves the airtightness by 91% compared with the original solution and helps the module life exceed 100,000 hours. In addition, the high magnetic permeability (>2000) of Kovar alloy can shield the electromagnetic interference (EMI) in 5G high-frequency signals, which improves the signal stability of the module in complex environments by 40%, meeting the deployment requirements of 3CC/5CC base stations.

Green production: carbon reduction and recycling throughout the process

Zion has long been practicing a low-carbon strategy, and this cooperation further deepens the layout of the green supply chain. The Kovar alloy shell adopts a 98% recyclable process, and the production process has passed the ISO 14046 water footprint certification, and the unit product energy consumption is 35% lower than the traditional process. At the same time, the material meets the requirements of the EU's "Critical Raw Materials Act", and the sources of key metals such as nickel and cobalt can be traced to avoid ESG risks. Zion's technical director said in an interview: "We chose Kovar alloy not only because of its performance advantages, but also because it is highly consistent with our sustainable development goals."

Industry certification: Building global competitiveness

In order to meet Zion's global business layout needs, Kovar alloy suppliers have passed the IATF 16949 automotive certification and IPC-A-610G Class 3 standards in advance, and provide a full set of material reports that comply with RoHS and REACH. For Zion's upcoming automotive lidar module, the two parties jointly developed an anti-salt spray coating process. The shell still maintains an IP68 protection level after 1200 hours of salt spray testing, paving the way for entering the European and American markets.

Prospects: Jointly develop a high-speed optical communication ecosystem

Zion plans to launch a 1.6T optical module research and development project this year. Kovar alloy's high temperature stability (heat resistant to 450°C) will become a core option to support CPO (co-packaged optics) technology. The two parties will also jointly build a joint laboratory to explore micron-level precision etching (accuracy up to ±3μm) and heterogeneous integrated packaging solutions. Industry insiders analyzed that this cooperation may provide a high-reliability packaging technology benchmark for the optical communications industry and accelerate the upgrade process of Open RAN and AI data center networks.

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