Intel combines optics to its Tofino 2 switch chip

Part 1: Co-packaged Ethernet switch 

The advent of co-packaged optics has moved a step closer with Intel’s demonstration of a 12.8-terabit Ethernet switch chip with optical input-output (I/O).  

Source: Intel.

The design couples a Barefoot Tofino 2 switch chip to up to 16 optical ‘tiles’ - each tile, a 1.6-terabit silicon photonics die - for a total I/O of 25.6 terabits.

“It’s an easy upgrade to add our next-generation 25.6-terabit [switch chip] which is coming shortly,” says Ed Doe, Intel’s vice president, connectivity group, general manager, Barefoot division. 

Intel acquired switch-chip maker, Barefoot, seven months ago after which it started the co-packaging optics project.

Intel also revealed that it is in the process of qualifying four new optical transceivers - a 400Gbase-DR4, a 200-gigabit FR4, a 100-gigabit FR1 and a 100Gbase-LR4 - to add to its portfolio of 100-gigabit PSM4 and CWDM4 modules.

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Acacia unveils its 400G coherent module portfolio

Acacia Communications has unveiled a full portfolio of 400-gigabit coherent optics and has provided test samples to customers, one being Arista Networks.

Delivering a complete set of modules offers a comprehensive approach to address the next phase of coherent optics, the company says. 

Tom WilliamsThe 400-gigabit coherent designs detailed by Acacia are implemented using the QSFP-DD, OSFP and CFP2 pluggable form factors.

Collectively, the pluggables support three performance categories: the 400ZR standard, OpenZR+ that is backed by several companies, and the coherent optics specification used for the Open ROADM multi-source agreement (MSA). 

“These are challenging specifications,” says Tom Williams, vice president of marketing at Acacia. “Even the 400ZR, where the objective has been to simplify the requirements.” 

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Nokia buys Elenion for its expertise and partnerships

Nokia will become the latest systems vendor to bolster its silicon photonics expertise with the acquisition of Elenion Technologies. 

The deal for Elenion, a privately-held company, is expected to be completed this quarter, subject to regulatory approval. No fee has been disclosed.

Kyle Hollasch

“If you look at the vertically-integrated [systems] vendors, they captured the lion’s share of the optical coherent marketplace,” says Kyle Hollasch, director of optical networking product marketing at Nokia. “But the coherent marketplace is shifting to pluggables and it is shifting to more integration; we can’t afford to be left behind.”   

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The 50th anniversary of light-speed connections at OFC

The 50th anniversary of two key optical developments will be celebrated at the upcoming OFC show to take place in San Diego starting March 8th. 

Back in 1970 the first low-loss fibre and the first room-temperature semiconductor laser were demonstrated.

Jun Shan Wey“The low-loss fibre had a loss of 16 decibels-per-kilometre,” says Jun Shan Wey of ZTE and the OFC programme co-chair. “Without such optical fibre, there would be no chance of any long-distance communication.” 

The advent of a semiconductor laser operating at room temperature was another development of key importance, she adds.

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Deutsche Telekom's Access 4.0 transforms the network edge

Deutsche Telekom has a working software platform for its Access 4.0 architecture that will start delivering passive optical network (PON) services to German customers later this year. The architecture will also serve as a blueprint for future edge services. 

Hans-Jörg Kolbe

Access 4.0 is a disaggregated design comprising open-source software and platforms that use merchant chips - ‘white-boxes’ - to deliver fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) and fibre-to-the-building (FTTB) services. 

“One year ago we had it all as prototypes plugged together to see if it works,” says Hans-Jörg Kolbe, chief engineer and head of SuperSquad Access 4.0. “Since the end of 2019, our target software platform – a first end-to-end system - is up and running.”  

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Scintil Photonics looks to add light to silicon

It's the second day of Christmastide and Sylvie Menezo is working: “I enjoyed the last two days and now I'm back at work.” 

But then it should not be surprising given how Menezo is both the CEO and CTO of Scintil Photonics, the French start-up that secured €4.4 million in first-round funding last year.

Sylvia Menezo, Scintil Photonics

Origins 

Scintil Photonics’ expertise is in the design of silicon photonics circuits and the addition of active III-V materials - for lasing, gain and modulation - to a silicon substrate.  

The start-up is using its funding to move its technology from the lab to production, working with an unnamed commercial foundry. The firm is also growing its staff, from eight to a dozen by the year-end. 

Menezo worked previously at CEA-Leti, a French technology research institute, where her roles included heading the silicon photonics lab and business development.

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NeoPhotonics’ growing 400G coherent pluggable portfolio

Part 2: 400-gigabit coherent pluggables 

NeoPhotonics has unveiled its first two 400-gigabit coherent pluggable modules that support the OIF’s 400ZR coherent standard and extended ZR+ modes. 

Ferris LipscombThe company has delivered samples of its ClearLight CFP2-DCO module for trials. The CFP2-DCO supports 400ZR, metro, and long-haul optional transmissions. 

NeoPhotonics has also delivered to a hyperscaler the first samples of a 400-gigabit OSFP pluggable that supports 400ZR and 400ZR+. 

Both modules use Inphi’s latest Canopus 7nm CMOS coherent digital signal processor (DSP) chip. 

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