OFC 2023: Infinera debuts ICE7, expands component portfolios

Technologies and Products

Infinera has come out with all guns blazing at OFC 2023, with an upgrade ICE series of optical engines, an expanded range of GX optical line systems, new subsystems including TROSA’s (Transmit Receive Optical Sub-Assemblies) and programmable DSP’s, as well as ICE-X coherent pluggable optical engines.

ICE7 1.2 Tbps

The ICE7 1.2 Tbps uses Infinera’s vertically integrated ICTR140 TROSA and a custom-designed digital signal processor (DSP) optimised for high-baud rate transmission. Supported in existing GX platforms with availability beginning in 1H24, Infinera says the ICE7 optical engine reduces cost per bit by up to 30% and power/space per bit by up to 60%, while supporting symbol rates of up to 148 Gbaud. With the ability to deliver 800G-based transmission up to 3,000 km, more than three times the reach of currently available technology, it covers more than 85% of network links. Finally, it can deploy over almost any network, supporting a broad range of programmable options and open APIs, enabling effective operation over virtually any existing optical line system.

Optical Line Systems

Infinera is also introducing evolutions to its GX platform optical line system capabilities integrating a broader set of open multi-haul line system functionality, including Super C- and Super L-band support driving single-fibre useable spectrum to 12 THz, resulting in 25% more capacity per fibre than C+L-band implementations. In conjunction with Infinera’s ICE7 1.2 Tbps optical engine, the GX system provides nearly 100 Tbps on a single fibre pair. Multi-haul link control breaks down the barriers between metro, regional, long-haul, and subsea networks, enabling seamless end-to-end network operation and offers support for FOADM up to 32-degree ROADM functionality with integrated Raman amplification, along with multiple scalable add/drop options, from fixed to colourless-directionless-contentionless.

Expanded GX Portfolio

Also announced is an expansion to the GX portfolio that include additional chassis options and interface modules to support a wider range of network applications. The new chassis options include versions with greater slot capacity, as well as 300-mm options to facilitate deployment in a wider range of network scenarios. The expanded line of chassis includes shelves that can be flexibly combined in a single network element to create scalable solutions that increase operational efficiency and reduce installation complexity. The improved traffic management capabilities include a sled-based 2.4 Tbps OTN switching solution, featuring support for multiple pluggable 400G coherent interfaces and OTN switching across sled pairs.

Components

Infinera has also launched a new line of coherent TROSA’s, leveraging Infinera’s U.S.-based, in-house indium phosphide (InP) fab, based on monolithically integrated photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The initial set of products includes three TROSAs: ICTR32, ICTR64, and ICTR140, with nominal baud rates of 32 Gbaud, 64 Gbaud, and 140 Gbaud respectively. Other components being launched at OFC include a range of high-performance DSPs including the Wa’a 100™, Wa’a 400™, and Tahoe 800™, supporting a range of point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications.

Pluggable Coherent Optical Engines

Built off Infinera’s vertically integrated subsystem building blocks, Infinera’s line of ICE-X coherent pluggable solutions is designed to support a diverse set of network applications, including point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications in DCI, access, metro, and regional networks. Included in the line of ICE-X pluggables are 100G XR, 400G XR, 400G ZR+, and 800G ZR/ZR+ modules, all of which adhere to the open and collaborative approach to the management of pluggable coherent optical engines defined by the Open XR Forum’s Management Architecture Specifications.

“There is significant growth in demand for increased capacity and capabilities of coherent technology, both in the core and closer to the network edge, driving the need for new innovations in coherent solutions optimized for these types of traffic patterns and deployment scenarios,” said Tom Burns, general manager of Optical Modules & Coherent Solutions Group at Infinera. “Our portfolio of programmable TROSAs, coherent DSPs, and ICE-X pluggables provides network operators with connectivity solutions that are compact, efficient, programmable, and streamlined in operations without sacrificing network integrity, visibility, or reliability.”

(Image: Infinera)

For more information, visit www.infinera.com