6 March 2012

NeoPhotonics launches multicast switch for ‘CDC’ ROADMs in 100G coherent networks

NeoPhotonics Corp of San Jose, CA - a vertically integrated designer and manufacturer of photonic integrated circuit (PIC)-based modules and subsystems for bandwidth-intensive, high-speed communications networks – has announced sample availability of its PIC-based Multicast Switch for next-generation ROADM (reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexer) applications.

The Multicast Switch is designed in a dual 8x16 configuration, offering 16 drop and add ports and accommodating up to 8 directions. NeoPhotonics says that the capabilities of its PIC platform also enable support for architectures requiring 8x12 or 8x24 configurations as well as offering the option of integrated power monitoring for each port.

The Multicast Switch is intended to build on current ROADM technology to enable next-generation ‘colorless, directionless and contentionless’ (CDC) networks. For example, in a CDC network, it can be coupled with a wavelength-selective switch (WSS), which together are designed to direct any wavelength to any port (colorless), accept input wavelength channels from multiple directions (directionless), and be able to drop two identical wavelengths from different directions through the same switch (contentionless). This switching flexibility is intended to improve the efficiency and flexibility of telecom networks while reducing overall deployment costs.

“We believe that it can play a critical role in enabling more flexible and efficient ROADM systems,” says CEO Tim Jenks. The Multicast Switch integrates more than 200 optical elements, and is made possible by the firm’s experience of developing and producing increasingly complex PICs, he adds.

NeoPhotonics is showcasing the Multicast Switch - along with the latest PIC technology designed for resolving speed, agility and access/FTTH bottlenecks - booth 2200 at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exhibition/National Fiber Optic Engineers Conference (OFC/NFOEC 2012) in Los Angeles (6-8 March).

Tags: NeoPhotonics ROADM

Visit: www.neophotonics.com