Rockley Photonics eyes multiple markets

Andrew Rickman, founder and CEO of silicon photonics start-up, Rockley Photonics, discusses the new joint venture with Hengtong Optic-Electric, the benefits of the company’s micron-wide optical waveguides and why the timing is right for silicon photonics. 

Andrew Rickman

The joint venture between Rockley Photonics and Chinese firm Hengtong Optic-Electric is the first announced example of Rockley’s business branching out.

The start-up’s focus has been to apply its silicon photonics know-how to data-centre applications. In particular, Rockley has developed an Opto-ASIC package that combines optical transceiver technology with its own switch chip design. Now it is using the transceiver technology for its joint venture.

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Micro QSFP module to boost equipment port densities

Twelve companies are developing a compact Quad Small-Form-Factor Pluggable (QSFP) module. Dubbed the Micro QSFP (μQSFP), the multi-source agreement (MSA) will improve by a third the port count on a platform's face plate compared to the current QSFP.

Nathan Tracy

The μQSFP will support both copper and optical cabling, and will have an improved thermal performance, benefitting interfaces and platforms.

“There is always a quest for greater port density or aggregate bandwidth,” says Nathan Tracy, technologist at TE Connectivity and chair of the μQSFP MSA.

The challenge for the module makers is to provide denser form factors to increase overall system traffic. “As we go to higher densities, we are also increasing the thermal load,” says Tracy. “And so now it is a mechanical and a thermal [design] problem, and both need to be solved jointly.”

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OIF demonstrates its 25 Gig interfaces are ready for use

Eleven companies have been participating in nine demonstrations at the European Conference and Exhibition on Optical Communication (ECOC2013) being held in London this week.

The Open Internetworking Forum (OIF) has demonstrated its specified 25 and 28 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) electrical interfaces working across various vendors' 100 Gigabit modules and ICs.

"The infrastructure over the backplane is maturing to the point of 25 Gig; you don't need special optical backplanes" John Monson, Mosys

"The ecosystem is maturing," says John Monson, vice president of marketing at Mosys, one of the 11 firms participating in the demonstrations. "The demos are not just showing the electrical OIF interfaces but their functioning between multiple vendors, with optical standards running across them at 100 Gig."

The demonstrations - using the CFP2, QSFP and CPAK optical modules and the 28Gbps CEI-28G-VSR module-to-chip electrical interface - set the stage for higher density 400 and 800 Gigabit line cards, says Monson. The CEI-28G-VSR is specified for up to 10dB of signal loss, equating to some 4 to 6 inches of trace on a high-quality material printed circuit board.

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Effdon Networks extends the 10x10 MSA to 80km

Effdon Networks has demonstrated a 100 Gigabit CFP module with an 80km reach; a claimed industry first. The company has also developed the Qbox, a 1 rack unit (1RU) extended reach platform capable of 400-800 Gigabit-per-second (Gbps) with a reach of 80-200km.

Effdon's CFP does not require the use of external DWDM multiplexing/ demultiplexing and can be added directly onto a router. Source: Effdon Networks

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Kotura demonstrates a 100 Gigabit QSFP

Kotura has announced a 100 Gigabit QSFP with a reach of 2km.  

“QSFP will be the long-term winner at 100 Gig; the same way QSFP has been a high volume winner at 40 Gig”

Arlon Martin, Kotura

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2012: A year of unique change

The third and final part on what CEOs, executives and industry analysts expect during the new year, and their reflections on 2011.

Karen Liu, principal analyst, components telecoms, Ovum  @girlgeekanalyst 

"We’ve entered the next decade for real: the mobile world is unified around LTE and moving to LTE Advanced, complete with small cells and heterogenous networks including Wi-Fi."

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Rafik Ward Q&A - final part

In the second and final part, Rafik Ward, vice president of marketing at Finisar, discusses Google’s call for a new 100 Gig interface, the ECOC show, and what Finisar has learnt from running a corporate blog.

 

"Feedback we are getting from customers is that the current 100 Gig LR4 modules are too expensive"

Rafik Ward, Finisar

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