23 September 2014

Finisar demos complete end-to-end 50Gb/s optical interface using silicon photonics

In booth #412 at the European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC 2014) show in Cannes, France (22-24 September), fiber-optic communications component and subsystem maker Finisar Corp of Sunnyvale, CA, USA is giving what it claims is the first demonstration of a 50Gb/s optical interface using silicon photonics technology.

The technology concept shows both 40G and 50G NRZ-based transceiver modules running error-free on a single wavelength over single-mode fiber (SMF), complementing Finisar’s previously demonstrated 40Gb/s and 50Gb/s vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) technology over multi-mode fiber (MMF).

This live demonstration showcases Finisar’s development of next-generation optical interfaces and offers technology building blocks necessary for emerging optical standards, such as Serial 40G Ethernet, Serial 50G Ethernet, Next-generation 100G Ethernet, and 400G Ethernet.

“Finisar's demonstrations of various 40G and 50G serial optical technologies are important for the industry in order to gain consensus about which technologies to adopt for the next generation of Ethernet that will lower costs and drive rapid adoption,” says Finisar’s senior director of strategic marketing Craig Thompson. “Regardless of the data rate and technology used, the biggest challenge in bringing 50G to market is the engineering of the total system — the optics, ICs, packaging and firmware control — and designing it for high-volume manufacturing,” he adds.

“Cisco has made a significant investment in silicon photonics and we are excited to see Finisar advancing the development of this important technology,” comments Luca Cafiero, senior VP & general manager of the Insieme business unit at Cisco Systems. “Silicon photonics technology has the potential to close the gap between switch ASIC and optical transceiver development cycles.”

During ECOC, Finisar is also displaying equipment from its portfolio of products including its latest optical transceivers, active cables, wavelength-selective switch (WSS) devices, advanced optical components, optical amplifiers, and passive devices.

Tags: Finisar silicon photonics

Visit: www.finisar.com

Visit: www.ecoc2014.org