Teraxion launches silicon photonics-based coherent receivers
Created October 4, 2012Teraxion has adopted silicon photonics technology for its latest compact 40- and 100-Gbps coherent receivers.
The Canadian optical component company, better known for its fibre Bragg gratings and tunable dispersion compensation products, has spent the last three years developing expertise in silicon photonics. At the recent ECOC exhibition it announced its first products based on the technology.
The company uses hybrid integration for its coherent receiver design, implementing the passive optical functions in silicon to which active components are coupled. Teraxion is using externally-supplied photodetectors which are flip-chipped onto the silicon for its coherent receiver.
“We need to use the best material for the function for this high-end product,” said Martin Guy, vice president, product management and technology at Teraxion. “Our initial goal is not to have everything integrated in silicon.”
Several companies have launched coherent receiver products. These include CyOptics, Enablence, NEL, NeoPhotonics, Oclaro and u2t Photonics.
One benefit of using silicon photonics, according to the company, is that it enables compact optical designs.
The Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF) has specified a form factor for the 100G coherent receiver. Teraxion has developed a product that matches the OIF’s form factor, sized 40mmx32mm. However, this is for technology evaluation purposes rather than a commercial product. Teraxion will come to market with a second 100G coherent receiver design that is a third of the size of the OIF’s form factor, measuring 23mmx18mm.
The compact coherent receivers for 40 and 100Gbps will be available in sample form in the first quarter of 2013.
By Roy Rubenstein
See Also:
Teraxion: Silicon Photonics st Teraxion
Gazettabyte: Teraxion embraces silicon photonics for its products
