Glossary

A quadrature amplitude modulation method that uses four states (two light intensities, two phases of light) to transmit data,.

400ZR is an interoperable networking Implementation Agreement released by the OIF in March 2020 . It defines a footprint-optimized solution for transporting 400Gb Ethernet in datacenter inteconnect links with a minimum reach of 80 km.

Fifth-generation technology standard and architecture for mobile networks. It uses higher frequencies, and more (but smaller) cell sites to provide greater bandwidth and lower latency. It is also expected to enable a considerable increase in Internet-of-Things applications.

The section of a telecom network that connects subscribers to the plant of their immediate service provider.

A part of a photonic circuit that requires external electric power to control or modify optical signals. Examples: lasers, modulators, photodetectors

A continuous signal that represents (i.e. another physical quantity (i.e. that is "analogous" to the other quantity).

An electronic component that samples an analog signal, such as a human voice or laser light, and encodes it into a digital signal comprised of 0s and 1s.

An ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) is a microchip designed for a special application, such as a particular kind of transmission protocol or a hand-held computer. You might contrast it with general integrated circuits, such as the microprocessor and the random access memory chips in your PC.

The simulation of human intelligence by computer systems, including tasks such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, and language processing.

The degradation of an optical signal over distance. Depending on the medium (air, optical fiber) this degradation will vary.

The part of a network that interconnects different networks and sites of a network provider.

The part of a 5G network that connects the centralized units (CU) of the radio network to the core network of the provider.

The range of frequencies within a given band, in particular that used for transmitting a signal.

A device in a mobile telecom network that transports a baseband frequency, usually from a remote radio unit to the network core.

Also known as symbol rate, is the number of symbol changes, waveform changes, or signaling events across the transmission medium per unit of time. If the system is using a modulation scheme with precisely two symbols, then the baud rate and the bit rate are the same. However, if each symbol represents more than one bit, the baud rate can be less than the bit rate​.

A system of telecommunication companies, led by the Bell Telephone Company (which later became AT&T), that dominated the telephone services industry in North America until its antitrust breakup in 1983.

Packaging that places the chip connections under the chip package, allowing more efficient use of space in circuit boards, a smaller package size, and better soldering.

The number of bits that are conveyed or processed per unit of time. In the context of digital communication, it is typically measured in bits per second (bps) and represents the total number of physically transferred bits over a communication link, including both the useful data and any other bits used for protocol overhead

A common measure of data speed for telecommunications equipment and links.

Existing network links or infrastructure that may need upgrading or integration with new technologies or equipment.

The conventional band of operation in optical communications due its low signal attenuation, spanning a wavelength range of 1530 to 1565 nanometers.

A pluggable transceiver form factor (significantly larger than an SFP) that developed originally for 100G transmission. It was been replaced over time by the smaller SFP and QSFP form factors.

The hub of a cable provider plant where all the connections from subscribers converge into.

In networks, the maximum amount of data that can be transferred within a network at any given point.

A waveform (usually sinusoidal) that is modulated with an input signal for the purpose of conveying information.

The software and services that run on Internet services instead of locally on your computer.

Transmission of the optical signals that uses all properties of the signal (intensity, frequency, phase, polarization) to pack more data into that signal. In contrast direct detect transmission uses only the intensity.

Equipment that is not custom made, but that can be bought immediately from a seller's stock.

Temperature specification that is roughly between -5 and 80 degrees Celsius. This is the minimum standard required for telecom equipment.

A common FEC type that combines inner and outer FEC codes to enhance the performance compared to a standard FEC code. It is the standard for 400ZR pluggables.

The section of a telecom network that connects service providers to each other and to the Internet cloud.

A WDM standard in which the system transport typically eight wavelengths with a channel spacing of 20nm, usually from 1470nm to 1610nm.

Optical fiber that has already been laid out but is not being used for transmission. This dark fiber provides potential for future network scale up or can be leased to other carriers.

The net number of bits of information that are actually delivered to the user, without including any additional bits that might be used for control or protocol overhead.

Links used to connect one datacenter with another. They are usually on the range of a few kms or tens of kms

Data communication: the industry that focuses on installating and maintaining links between datacenters or inside a data center.

Technologies that provide the interface between the provider's access network and the end customer's on-premises wiring / network.

A device that takes a single input signal and selects one of many data-output-lines, which is connected to the single input.

A WDM standard that has much narrower channel space than DWDM, with 0.4 or 0.8 channel spacing. It is used for links in which carriers want to maximize their fiber capacity or very dense access networks.

A signal that varies discontinuously and is just sampling (not a full representation) of a physical quantity.

The component of a communication systems that codes or decodes digital data from a signal. It's necessary for coherent communications.

An electronic component that decodes a digital signal of 0s and 1s and transforms it into a continuous analog signal, such as those of audio or laser light.

A photonic approach in which the components are manufactured separately and then interconnected via optical fiber. This is contrast to integrating the photonic components on a single chip.

The degradation of a light signal when travelling through an optical fiber. The same phenomenon happens when a prism splits white light into several colors.

Architectures that decentralize the access network of a provider, splitting the headend into several nodes.

Lasers that incorporate a Bragg reflector in their structure to provide wavelength-selective feedback. The reflector consists of alternating layers with varying refractive indices, stabilizing the laser's output wavelength.

Lasers that use a periodic structure within the gain medium to provide feedback and stabilize the laser’s output wavelength.

The standard that regulates cable provider links to subscribers.

The telecommunications link that goes from the carrier to the end user. It is the channel that users download data with.

The transmission of data in two directions simultaneously.

The part of a specific network that is closer to the end user.

The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) and Electronics Industries Association (EIA) structured cabling standards define how to design, build, and manage a structured telecom cabling system. These standards determine the order of the wires placed in a typical Ethernet (RJ45) connector.

Using electrical energy in a sustainable way.

Strong adhesives formed from a mixture of epoxy resin and a hardener. They are used for bonding, sealing, and coating, particularly in electronics and optics, due to their durability and resistance to chemicals and environmental stressors

An optical fiber with embbeded Erbium bits that uses electrical current to increase the intensity of an optical signal. These amplifiers allow the optical signal to travel for a longer distance.

A technique used in microfabrication to remove layers from the surface of a semiconductor or some other material.

A family of networking technologies commonly used in local area networks (LANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs) and wide area networks (WANs).

Lasers with their resonant cavity formed by an external arrangement of mirrors or other optical components. This configuration allows for tunability and adjustment of the laser’s output characteristics.

A model in which a company designs semiconductor chips but outsources the chip manufacturing to a specialized factory (foundry). EFFECT Photonics is a fabless company.

An upgrade to fixed access networks (such as cable) in which Internet service to the subscriber home is delivered via optical fiber. This is in contrast to legacy networks that deliver service via electrical copper or coaxial wires.

A process where solder bumps are deposited on the chip in the final fabrication step. The chip is flipped over and aligned with a circuit board for easier soldering.

Frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) is a more advanced LIDAR application. If we send a pulse of light with multiple wavelengths to an object, we know where the object is and whether it is moving towards you or away from you

Error correction codes that allow a receiver to detect data errors without requiring the transmitter to resend data. This saves time and channel capacity.

A semiconductor chip fabrication plant (also called a fab).

Optical communication technology that transmits and receives light wireless through air. This is in contrast to using a solid medium like optical fiber.

The links of a 5G radio access network that connect the remote radio unit at the antenna to the distribution unit.

A transceiver that can tune its frequency across the entire optical C-band (infrared wavelengths from 1535-1565 nm)

Communication between two devices where both can send and receive information simultaneously.

Documents developed by Bellcore/Telcordia that specified the design, operation, and purpose of telecom networks, equipment, and components. They were originally intended to help the Regional Bell Companies that resulted from the Bell System breakup in 1983

A frequency unit equivalent to one billion Hertz. Many microwave signals are in this frequency range.

for Fiber Optic Branching Components

for Passive Optical Components

for Single Mode Optical Connectors and Jumper Assemblies (Fiber Optics)

for Optoelectronic Devices Used in Telecommunications Equipment

for Electronic Equipment Cabinets (Enclosures)

for Outdoor Telephone Network Interface Devices

for Network Equipment-Building System Requirements (NEBS): Physical Protection

for Telecommunications Line Protector Units (TLPUS)

A standard optical transceiver that cannot tune its frequency channel. It's called grey because unlike tunable transceivers, it cannot change its "color".

A control center (often in a cable network) where signals from subscribers and nodes are brought together and managed before introducing them to the rest of the cable network.

Airtight seals that prevent the ingress of air, moisture, or other environmental contaminants into a device. They are crucial in protecting sensitive electronics, optical components, or other delicate parts from damage

A device (such as a pluggable transceiver) that can work with any kind of host device. Achieving this requires interoperability standards.

A fixed access network (such as cable networks) that uses fiber until a certain point but then uses coaxial cable to reach the subscriber.

A data center that is much larger than a typical enterprise data center. A common definition is that it needs to have more than 5000 servers. They are more power efficient because energy and cooling can be centralized in a single location.

A company that builds hyperscale data centers. All the big tech giants (Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Facebook) do this.

A III-V semiconductor material that is commonly used for high-frequency electronics and photonics circuits. It is the most common material platform used to build semiconductor lasers for communications, and the material of choice for EFFECT Photonics circuits.

A more rigorous operating temperature standard that can handle more extreme temperatures, ?40° to 85°C.

An umbrella term that refers to all the infrastructure and components that enable modern computing and communications.

A small external laser that can be coupled to an optical system (like a transceiver) via optical fiber. This ITLA must maintain a low enough footprint and cost for high-volume integration with the optical system. They must conform with existing ITLA standards or multi-source agreements.

Integrating optical components on a semiconductor chip, similar to how electronics integrates electrical components.

An optical technology that detects the intensity of the light, unlike coherent systems that detect phase and amplitude.

A boundary across which two independent systems meet and act on or communicate with each other.

A system of interconnected physical devices that communicate and exchange data via the internet or other networks.

The feature of a product to work with products and systems of other suppliers. This requires standardization or multi-source agreements (MSAs) across different vendors.

Connections between servers and buildings of the same data center. They can range from a hundreds of meters in distance to a few kilometers.

This usually refers to an Ethernet network interface, usually 10G.

A semiconductor device similar to a light-emitting diode in which a laser beam is created at the diode's junction.

A metric in communication networks that measures how fast data can travel from one end to the other and back. Low latency is vital to many modern communications use cases, such as gaming or video conferencing.

The optical version of radars: sending a laser pulse and receiving it after it bounced off objects in order to know the location and/or speed of said objects.

A process used in microfabrication to pattern parts of a thin film or the bulk of a substrate.

Networks links longer than 1000kms

Software solutions designed to manage, coordinate, and automate network functions, resources, and services.

The layer of a network that controls the hardware responsible for transmission medium (air, Ethernet cable, coaxial, fiber).

A channel in a communications link that provides information about the data being transmitted.

A datacenter interconnect between two different metro areas (reach up to 100 km).

A network that providers connectivity within a metropolitan region. Its links are longer than those of an access network but shorter than long-haul links.

An ITLA form factor that is half the size of the original ITLA form factor (37.5 x 20 mm vs the original 74.0 x 30.5 mm).

The links of a 5G radio access network that connect the distribution unit to the central unit (CU).

A United States defense standard, often called a military standard or "MIL-STD". It is used to achieve standardization objectives set by the U.S. Department of Defense.

A device that imposes a lower-frequency signal (the information) into a higher-frequency signal (the carrier signal) for the purposes of transmission.

In the context of optics and photonics, this refers to a device that is that can be fully manufactured from on a single block of material or chip.

The empirical observation made by Gordon Moore in 1965 that the number of transistors in an electronic integrated circuit doubles roughly every two years. It is a guiding principle and target for the electronics semiconductor industry.

A device that selects between several input signals and forwards the selected input into a single output line.

An ITLA form factor that is roughly half the size of the micro ITLA form factor (25.1 x 15.6 mm vs the mico-ITLA's 37.5 x 20 mm)

A billionth of a meter. It is a common unit for semiconductor fabrication processes.

Said of a tunable DWDM transceiver that can only scan through a small section of the C-band.

Using IT virtualization technologies to emulate network functions that previously required specialized hardware. It allows network operators to replace this expensive hardware with affordable commercial off-the-shelf servers

A redistribution point or endpoint within a network. It usually contains a device attached to the network that is capable of transmitting and receiving of the communications channel.

The process of splitting a node (and all its associated links) into two or more nodes. By reducing the number of links and customers served by a single node, the network operator can provide more capacity to customers.

A method of mapping a binary signal to a physical signal for transmission over some transmission medium.

The response of an optical material usually scales linearly with the strength of the light that interacts with it. When the light is particularly strong or constrained in a very small space (like an optical fiber), nonlinear optical effects can happen that will distort the light signal even more than the usual linear effects.

The original band of operation in optical communications, spanning wavelengths from 1260 to 1360 nanometers.

A FEC type adopted by the OpenZR+ and Open ROADM multi-source agreements (MSAs). It provides a greater enhancement than CFEC at the cost of more overhead and energy.

The network paradigm in which telecom operators are not "locked-in" to a specific vendor and can instead build their networks with parts from different vendors. Achieving this requires the use of common standards and open software interfaces that can work with equipment of different vendors.

An optical device that amplifies an optical signal with the help of an electrical pumping current.

A part of a fiber-optic module that includes the optical components necessary for transmitting and receiving.

A flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing pure glass (silica) or plastic into a diameter slightly thicker than a human hair.

A prominent non-profit consortium that promotes the development of interoperable networking products and services through implementation agreements among different vendors.

The inherent weakening of an optical signal as it passes through a transmission medium like air or fiber. It varies depending on the material used.

A device that imposes a lower-frequency signal (the information) into an optical carrier signal for the purposes of transmission through optical fiber.

The layer of a network that is composed of optical components.

An optical system that splits the output of a tunable laser into multiple channels and puts different time delays on each channels. This can be used to steer optical beams from a chip without any moving parts, which can be extremely valuable to make communication and LIDAR devices that are more affordable.

A structure in which light bounces back and forth between two or more mirrors or reflective surfaces, creating standing waves or resonant modes. Resonators are integral to lasers and other optical devices​.

Integrating every optical function (including laser, amplifier modulator, detector) on a single chip. This can increase the efficiency of the optical engine and make it easier to mass produce.

An optical communications device that sends and receives signal via optical fiber.

Octal small form factor pluggable. A pluggable transceiver with 8 different channels. It is larger and with higher power consumption than the 4-channel QSFP.

In the case of transceiver development, it is the process of assembling the different parts of the transceiver (electronics, PIC, power supply) into the same package.

In contrast to full integration / system-on-chip, an approach where only a few optical components are integrated on the same chip, while others are discrete and separate (such as the laser)

An optical component that does not require additional electrical energy to operate. Couplers, splitters, waveguides are an example of this.

A telecommunications technology that brings fiber-optic cabling and signals to the home or business.

A sensor of light that converts light signals into electrical signals.

The smallest unit of a beam of light. It does not have mass and travels at the speed of light.

An optical circuit in which the components are integrated on a chip.

The technological field that aims to integrate optical components on a single semiconductor chip, in a similar way to how electronics integrates electrical components on a chip.

The lowest layer in the OSI model of networks. It is the layer closest to the physical connection between devices and that interfaces with the transmission medium

A component that can operate with different optical material platforms and architectures (such as silicon or indium phosphide).

A smaller transceiver that can be easily "plugged" into another device such as a switch or router.

A ratio that describes how efficiently a data center uses energy. It is the ratio of total energy used by a data center facility to the energy delivered to computing equipment. An ideal PUE is 1.0 (energy deliver is perfectly efficient).

A transmission method in coherent communication systems that sends some signal combinations more often and others less often to optimize the signal quality at the receiver or to maintain the same qualtiy using less transmission energy.

A modulation technique that uses four distinct pulse amplitudes to encode data, allowing for more data to be transmitted in the same amount of time.

A semiconductor chip factory that manufactures devices for other companies without designing them. Two big examples are GlobalFoundries and TSMC in Taiwan.

The "big brother" of the SFP module format, with four lanes that allow for speeds four times higher than the corresponding SFP.

A QSFP module designed for 100G data rate. QSFP28 integrates 4 transmit and 4 receiver channels. “28” means each lane carries up to 28G data rate. QSFP28 can do 4x25G breakout connection, 2x50G breakout, or 1x100G depending on the transceiver used.

QSFP Double Density: a QSFP device that doubles the number of channels and interfaces compared to a regular QSFP module. They have significantly more power consumption (15 Watts) and price.

A modulation process used in coherent systems that combines multiple levels of light intensity and phases of light to transmit more information in a light signal.

A device that uses the properties of quantum mechanics (superposition, interference, entanglement) to perform calculations. In theory, these computers can solve certain computational problems (such as the factorization behind encryption) much faster than classical computers.

A secure communication method that implements properties of quantum mechanics. These properties allow two communicating users to easily detect the presence of an eavesdropper.

Also called post-quantum or quantum-resistant encryption. Encryption algorithms that are thought to be secure against an attack by quantum computer.

The quantum version of a classical information bit. While a normal bit can be just 0 or 1, a qubit can have a combination of 0 or 1 states.

The frequency range between audio frequencies and infrared frequencies (roughly from 20 kHz to 300 GHz) that is normally used for wireless communication systems.

A multiplexer that can add or drop optical signals using WDM technology, without having to change them into electrical signals. Its development was a vital breakthrough that made WDM technology more widespread.

The act of diagnosing a networking issue from a distance, away from where the networking equipment/component is located.

A type of distributed architecture in cable access networks in which the physical layer (PHY) is moved from the cable headend to the nodes in the edge of the network. It reduces the load on the headend, allowing to handle more fiber connections.

The process of remotely setting up a device to be used in a network. This includes setting up the hardware, installing and configuring software, and providing the required network parameters to the device.

Receiver device power output

The capability of a system to increase or decrease in performance and cost in response to changes in its environment and demands.

An algorithm that allows a WDM optical transceiver to tune itself without the manual input of a technician. It makes the process of network installation and management much easier.

An optical amplifier built on a semiconductor chip and that can be integrated with other optical components on the same chip. Must be produced on an active material such as InP (so they can't be made in silicon)

The evolution of the SFP transceiver module that can support 10Gbps channels (compared to the original SFP which supports 1G)

The SFP transceiver module version that can support speeds of 25Gbps.

The manipulation of a signal in a way that prepares it for the next stage of processing.

A key metric of communication systems that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise.

Photonics applications and devices that use silicon material as an optical medium.

but the disadvantage of lacking native laser and amplifier components. These active components must be made from a different optical material."

A compact pluggable transceiver module that can be connected to networking hardware (switches, routers)

A pluggable transceiver that can adapt to different network configurations and conditions in real-time, thanks to embedded intelligence and adaptive features

The networking paradigm that decouples the control layer from networking hardware and centralizes it in a hub (usually in the cloud). This means that the central office can manage all the hardware or virtualize network functions in servers. This makes network management much easier.

The different "colors" of the electromagnetic spectrum. The most common band for optical communications is the C-band (1530-1565nm) but there also other bands such as the L-band (1565-1625), the S-band (1460-1530nm) and the O-band (1260-1360nm).

The speed of light in a vacuum (represented by c) is a fundamental physical constant and the "speed limit" of the universe. However, if light travels in a medium (such as air or fiber), the speed of light will decrease.

Acronym for "Size, Weight, and Power". These are key parameters to be minimized in most technology applications.

Companies that buy telecommunications equipment and use it to build and manage telecom infrastructure and systems. They provide the full system and management solution for network carriers.

The module opposite to the central head-end. It's usually the remote module that is closer to the end customer.

Telcordia Technologies, originally known as Bell Communications Research (Bellcore), develops technical standards and guidelines that are extensively used in the telecommunications industry. These standards, commonly referred to as Telcordia standards or GRs (Generic Requirements), serve various purposes, such as ensuring the reliability, quality, and interoperability of telecommunications equipment and services.

The industry that transmits information (through wire, radio, optical or other mediums) over longer distance. A related, but different industry datacom, which is focused on datacenters.

Information collected remotely from devices or sensors, often in real-time, to monitor system performance, gather diagnostics, and support decision-making

A frequency unit equal to a trillion Hertz (10^12). It is the frequency unit commonly used for optical signals.

A method of transmitting several independent signals over the same medium (such as fiber). Unlike WDM, TDM uses the same wavelength channel and the signals must split that channel and transmit in specific, alternating time slots.

Time-of-flight LIDAR is the simplest approach to LIDAR. If we send pulses of light to a wall and listen to how long it takes for them to come back, we know how far that wall is.

Temperature range -200 ºC to +260 ºC

A smaller device that can receive and transmit telecommunications signals. It's usually a smaller version of a transponder.

The rate at which information is transmitted over a communications link.

A device that can receive and transmit telecommunications signals. It's usually a larger device that needs its own space in a shelf.

The part of the telecommunications network that relays data from one node of the telecom carrier network to another. This in contrast to the access network, which takes the data to the end customer.

When a technician is dispatched to a customer's location in order to provide physical repair or management service.

Transmitter power output

The telecommunications link that goes from the end user back to the carrier. This is important in situations when the end user uploads data.

A company that extends the operations in its supply chain, bringing in previously outsourced operations in-house.

A round piece of semiconductor material, such as silicon or InP. The larger the wafer sizes, the more devices can be produced (at a lower price). The consumer electronics industry uses 12 inch wafers to produce at a very high volume, but the lower volume telecom industry uses 3-6 inch wafers to produce its devices

The spatial period of a wave, either in an electromagnetic spectrum (like light) or sound.

A device that stabilizes and locks the emission of a lasers into a single wavelength. Without the locker, the laser's wavelength might drift with temperature and other mechanical instabilities.

Components in WDM networks that will route (switch) signals between optical fibers depending on the required wavelengths.

The ultimate goal of remote provisioning: setting up a network device without requiring a human operator/technician to touch it.