AOI Launches 100 Gbits/s Laser For 400G Transceivers

Technologies and Products

Applied Optoelectronics Inc (AOI), a provider of fibre optic access network products for the Internet datacentre, cable broadband, FTTH and telecom markets, has unveiled a 100 Gbits/s Electro-absorption Modulated Laser (EML) for next generation 400 Gbits/s optical transceivers.

AOI points out that high-speed EMLs are ideal for long distance transmission due to their small chirp and low chromatic dispersion in fibre. The new EMLs operate at 1310 nm, with a symbol rate of 53 Gbaud, and are suitable for use with PAM, enabling a data rate of 100 Gbits/s over a single wavelength. Through careful optimisation, AOI engineers were able to achieve a very high bandwidth of 38 GHz at 25°C, and greater than 32 GHz up to a transceiver case temperature of 70°C. AOI says the newly developed lasers have demonstrated good 100 Gbits/s PAM-4 eyes over transceiver case temperature of 70°C with a Transmitter Dispersion Eye Closure Quaternary (TDECQ) value meeting IEEE 802.3 and 100G Lambda MSA standards.

The new lasers are based on AOI’s mature high volume and high yield laser production technology, and are suitable for the development of 100G DR1 and 400G DR4/FR4 transceivers for up to 10 km fibre transmission. Transceivers operating at 400 Gbits/s can be designed by combining four 100 Gbits/s lasers, either in a Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexed (CWDM) or Parallel Single-Mode (PSM) arrangements. The resulting transceiver can share a common optical bench platform and similar production techniques as AOI currently utilises in its production of 100G transceivers. By leveraging this common platform, AOI expects to offer substantial cost and time-to-market advantages over its competitors.

“The 100 Gbits/s single lambda laser is a key enabling technology for high performance next generation 400G transceivers,” comments Dr. Jun Zheng, AOI Vice President of R&D. “With the addition of this new 100 Gbits/s EML laser, and the previously announced 100 Gbits/s PAM4 Directly Modulated Laser (DML), AOI extends its technological leadership in laser development for cost-effective and high-performance 400G transceivers to longer distance applications, potentially extending beyond the intra-datacentre realm.”
http://ao-inc.com/