4 December 2012

OneChip names VP of Product Development to extend PIC technology into data-center interconnect market

OneChip Photonics Inc of Ottawa, Canada, which manufactures optical modules and transceivers based on monolithic photonic integrated circuits (PICs) fabricated in indium phosphide (InP) for access networks and other mass-market broadband applications, has named Jonathan Boocock as VP of product development, responsible for the development of PIC-based passive optical network (PON) transceivers and bi-directional optical sub-assemblies (BOSAs). He will also lead efforts to extend the technology into the next-generation data-center interconnect (NG DCI) market.

“Jonathan knows what it takes to succeed in the very cost-sensitive, high-volume broadband access arena,” says CEO Jim Hjartarson. “His experience in developing innovative optical communications solutions, from the ground up, will be crucial as we look to extend our unique PIC technology to the fast-growing data communications market.”

Boocock has more than 25 years of industry experience, most recently as executive VP of engineering at BTI Systems Inc, where he managed development of the BTI 7000 Series Service Edge and Aggregation Packet Optical Platform from its inception to its volume delivery to carriers worldwide.

Previously, he was a co-founder and member of the senior management team at Ottawa-based broadband access start-up Catena Networks (sold in 2004 for US$487m to Ciena Corp). Boocock also was a senior manager at Nortel Networks, where he led development of its World Line Card access product, which shipped in volumes of more than 12 million lines per year and has a deployed base of greater than 200 million lines.

OneChip was first to develop fully integrated optical modules for the PON market, notes Boocock, adding that the firm’s technology can greatly reduce the cost and footprint of optical modules and boost optical interconnect speeds to 40G, 100G and beyond.

On 21 May, OneChip announced that in second-half 2012 it planned to make available engineering samples of its PIC-based 40GBASE-LR4 and 100GBASE-LR4 receiver chips for partner testing. Following the release of its PIC-based receiver chips, it expects to also make available engineering samples of its 40GBASE-LR4 transmitter optical components and 100GBASE-LR4 single-chip transmitter PICs. 

According to Boocock, OneChip will use the feedback that it receives from these initial 40G and 100G engineering sample designs to develop PIC-based optical modules – such as transmitter optical sub-assemblies (TOSAs) and receiver optical sub-assemblies (ROSAs) – which can be used to lower costs, boost performance and improve reliability in high-speed optical interconnect applications. The solutions would help to remove traffic bottlenecks in data centers and in campus and enterprise networks, the firm reckons.

Meanwhile, OneChip says it will continue to grow its Engineering team, focused on this effort.
“We have an opportunity, with our PIC technology, to make a significant impact in the PON market and the next-generation data-center interconnect market,” Boocock reckons, “and we want to bring in additional engineering talent to supplement the strong team that we have in place.” 

To view a Q&A interview with Boocock and a video animation highlighting OneChip’s 40GBASE-LR4 and 100GBASE-LR4 solutions,

See:

www.onechipphotonics.com/company/OneChipVideos.htm

Tags: OneChip PIC InP

Visit: www.onechipphotonics.com