16 June 2011

NeoPhotonics quadruples capacity for PIC-based Integrated Coherent Receivers

NeoPhotonics Corp of San Jose, CA, USA, a vertically integrated designer and manufacturer of photonic integrated circuit (PIC)-based modules and subsystems for bandwidth-intensive, high-speed communications networks, has quadrupled capacity for PIC-based Integrated Coherent Receivers (ICR) for 40 and 100Gbps coherent fiber-optic transport systems.

The firm believes that the industry is coalescing behind the ‘coherent technology’ approach for high-speed ‘backbone’ networks. By combining its PIC-based ICR (which has what's claimed to be one of the industry’s highest signal detection responses) with advanced digital signal processing on each channel, the coherent approach is designed to provide service providers with a solution for leveraging their existing fiber-optic cable investments longer, more efficiently and in an ‘on demand’ manner.

“The rapid increase in the use of coherent transmission technology for 40Gbps on the line side, coupled with an initial ramp of 100Gbps coherent systems, necessitates a significant increase in volume shipments of ICRs while maintaining stringent optical performance requirements,” says chairman & CEO Tim Jenks. “Our photonic integration technology utilizes our semiconductor-based wafer manufacturing capabilities and is inherently high-quality, scalable and cost-effective, which positions us ahead of the demand curve for this important technology,” he reckons.

NeoPhotonics’ ICR is designed to convert the phase-encoded optical signals into electrical signals of varying intensity, which can then be analyzed using digital signal processing. As carriers upgrade from 10Gbps network connections, the coherent solution using the ICR provides not only more throughput capacity but also more intelligence, says the firm. NeoPhotonics has earned multiple design wins for the ICR with its tier-1 customer base and is now shipping ICR products (with or without an internal polarizing beam splitter) to multiple customers.

The ICR is designed to support the OIF Implementation Agreement for Integrated Dual Polarization Intradyne Coherent Receivers. The PIC-based ICR is designed to provide advanced demodulation to analyze the state-of-polarization and optical phase of a phase-modulated signal relative to an externally supplied optical reference signal, enabling recovery of the phase-polarization constellation of 40 or 100Gbps format signals.

In addition to the ICR, NeoPhotonics currently offers a range of PIC-based components for high-capacity data transport networks, including 90º Hybrid Coherent Mixers for both 40Gbps and 100Gbps coherent transmission systems, and both small and standard form-factor DQPSK (differential quaternary phase-shift key) demodulators for 40Gbps transmission.

Tags: NeoPhotonics PICs

Visit: www.neophotonics.com