25 May 2011

NeoPhotonics enters volume production of small-form-factor DQPSK demodulator for 40G

NeoPhotonics Corp of San Jose, CA, USA, which designs and manufactures photonic integrated circuit (PIC)-based modules and subsystems for bandwidth-intensive, high-speed communications networks, announced that its PIC-based small form factor DQPSK (differential quaternary phase-shift key) demodulator, designed for use in 40Gbps direct detection fiber-optic transport systems, is now ramped to volume production. The small form factor version is less than half the size of the standard form factor DQPSK demodulator, saving board space in high-capacity systems.

DQPSK systems use delay-line interferometers (DLIs) to coherently mix the incoming signal with a delayed sample, avoiding the need for, and cost of, an external local optical reference laser. The new DQPSK demodulator integrates two DLIs on a single photonic chip and provides in-phase and quadrature analysis of the phase-encoded signal. To accommodate the unpredictable and varying nature of the received signals, the demodulator is designed to exhibit low sensitivity to polarization variations. NeoPhotonics introduced the small form factor version of this product in fourth-quarter 2010 and achieved general availability in first-quarter 2011.

“The deployment of 40Gbps and 100Gbps transmission technologies on the line-side places stringent requirements on the optical performance of the components used,” says chairman & CEO Tim Jenks. “For example, the level of polarization dependence in our 40Gbps DQPSK demodulator must be much less than that of our typical 10Gbps products,” he adds. “By using our photonic integration technology, we are able to achieve the high levels of optical performance and quality critical for these very high-speed systems.”

In addition, NeoPhotonics also currently offers a PIC-based standard form factor DQPSK demodulator for 40Gbps transmission systems and PIC-based intradyne coherent receivers (ICR) and 90° hybrid coherent mixers for both 40Gbps and 100Gbps coherent transmission systems.

Tags: NeoPhotonics PICs DQPSK demodulator

Visit: www.neophotonics.com