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January 24, 2024

Coherent Optics for AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) will have a significant role in making optical networks more scalable, affordable,…

Artificial intelligence (AI) will have a significant role in making optical networks more scalable, affordable, and sustainable. It can gather information from devices across the optical network to identify patterns and make decisions independently without human input. By synergizing with other technologies, such as network function virtualization (NFV), AI can become a centralized management and orchestration network layer. Such a setup can fully automate network provisioning, diagnostics, and management, as shown in the diagram below.

carrier-network — Figure 1: Example of a carrier network with different applications (mobile, home, office) automated via SDN control and AI management.

However, artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms are data-hungry. To work optimally, they need information from all network layers and ever-faster data centers to process it quickly. Pluggable optical transceivers thus need to become smarter, relaying more information back to the AI central unit, and faster, enabling increased AI processing.

The Need for Faster Transceivers

Optical transceivers are crucial in developing better AI systems by facilitating the rapid, reliable data transmission these systems need to do their jobs. High-speed, high-bandwidth connections are essential to interconnect data centers and supercomputers that host AI systems and allow them to analyze a massive volume of data.

In addition, optical transceivers are essential for facilitating the development of artificial intelligence-based edge computing, which entails relocating compute resources to the network’s periphery. This is essential for facilitating the quick processing of data from Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices like sensors and cameras, which helps minimize latency and increase reaction times.

400 Gbps links are becoming the standard across data center interconnects, but providers are already considering the next steps. LightCounting forecasts significant growth in the shipments of dense-wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) ports with data rates of 600G, 800G, and beyond in the next five years. We discuss these solutions in greater detail in our article about the roadmap to 800G and beyond.

Graph-pluggables-shipments-dwdm — Figure : Shipments of high-speed DWDM ports by data rate (historical data and forecast). Source: LightCounting Optical Communications Market Forecast, April 2022.

The Need for Telemetry Data

Mobile networks now and in the future will consist of a massive number of devices, software applications, and technologies. Self-managed, zero-touch automated networks will be required to handle all these new devices and use cases. Realizing this full network automation requires two vital components.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms for comprehensive network automation: For instance, AI in network management can drastically cut the energy usage of future telecom networks.
Sensor and control data flow across all network model layers, including the physical layer: As networks grow in size and complexity, the management and orchestration (MANO) software needs more degrees of freedom and dials to turn.

These goals require smart optical equipment and components that provide comprehensive telemetry data about their status and the fiber they are connected to. The AI-controlled centralized management and orchestration layer can then use this data for remote management and diagnostics. We discuss this topic further in our previous article on remote provisioning, diagnostics, and management.

For example, a smart optical transceiver that fits this centralized AI-management model should relay data to the AI controller about fiber conditions. Such monitoring is not just limited to finding major faults or cuts in the fiber but also smaller degradations or delays in the fiber that stem from age, increased stress in the link due to increased traffic, and nonlinear optical effects. A transceiver that could relay all this data allows the AI controller to make better decisions about how to route traffic through the network.

A Smart Transceiver to Rule All Network Links

After relaying data to the AI management system, a smart pluggable transceiver must also switch parameters to adapt to different use cases and instructions given by the controller.

Let’s look at an example of forward error correction (FEC). FEC makes the coherent link much more tolerant to noise than a direct detect system and enables much longer reach and higher capacity. In other words, FEC algorithms allow the DSP to enhance the link performance without changing the hardware. This enhancement is analogous to imaging cameras: image processing algorithms allow the lenses inside your phone camera to produce a higher-quality image.

network link with FEC — Figure 3: Simplified diagram of a network link with forward error correction (FEC). The FEC encoder adds a series of redundant bits (called overhead) to the transmitted data stream. The receiver can use this overhead to check for errors without asking the transmitter to resend the data.

A smart transceiver and DSP could switch among different FEC algorithms to adapt to network performance and use cases. Let’s look at the case of upgrading a long metro link of 650km running at 100 Gbps with open FEC. The operator needs to increase that link capacity to 400 Gbps, but open FEC could struggle to provide the necessary link performance. However, if the transceiver can be remotely reconfigured to use a proprietary FEC standard, the transceiver will be able to handle this upgraded link.

Reconfigurable transceivers can also be beneficial to auto-configure links to deal with specific network conditions, especially in brownfield links. Let’s return to the fiber monitoring subject we discussed in the previous section. A transceiver can change its modulation scheme or lower the power of its semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) if telemetry data indicates a good quality fiber. Conversely, if the fiber quality is poor, the transceiver can transmit with a more limited modulation scheme or higher power to reduce bit errors. If the smart pluggable detects that the fiber length is relatively short, the laser transmitter power or the DSP power consumption could be scaled down to save energy.

Takeaways

Optical networks will need artificial intelligence and machine learning to scale more efficiently and affordably to handle the increased traffic and connected devices. Conversely, AI systems will also need faster pluggables than before to acquire data and make decisions more quickly. Pluggables that fit this new AI era must be fast, smart, and adapt to multiple use cases and conditions. They will need to scale up to speeds beyond 400G and relay monitoring data back to the AI management layer in the central office. The AI management layer can then program transceiver interfaces from this telemetry data to change parameters and optimize the network.

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Tags: 400 Gbps links, artificial intelligence, coherent optics, data centers, Dense-wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM), diagnostics, Edge computing, EFFECT Photonics, energy efficiency, forward error correction (FEC), Internet of Things (IoT), Machine learning algorithms, Network automation, Network function virtualization (NFV), network optimization, optical networks, optical transceivers, Reconfigurable transceivers, remote management, SDN control, telemetry data

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January 17, 2024

An Intro to Data Center Interconnects

Data center interconnects (DCIs) refer to the networking technologies and solutions that enable seamless communication…

Data center interconnects (DCIs) refer to the networking technologies and solutions that enable seamless communication and data exchange between geographically dispersed data centers. As organizations increasingly rely on distributed computing resources and adopt cloud services, the need for efficient and high-speed connections between data centers becomes crucial. DCIs facilitate the transfer of data, applications, and workloads across multiple data center locations, ensuring optimal performance, redundancy, and scalability.

The Impact of Data Center Interconnects

The impact of robust data center interconnects on the operation of data centers is profound. Firstly, DCIs enhance overall reliability and availability by creating a resilient network infrastructure. In the event of a hardware failure or unexpected outage in one data center, DCIs enable seamless failover to another data center, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous operations. This redundancy is vital for mission-critical applications and services.

Secondly, DCIs contribute to improved performance and reduced latency. By connecting data centers with high-speed, low-latency links, organizations can efficiently distribute workloads and resources, optimizing response times for users and applications. This is particularly important for real-time applications, such as video streaming, online gaming, and financial transactions.

Furthermore, DCIs support efficient data replication and backup strategies. Data can be synchronized across geographically distributed data centers, ensuring data integrity and providing effective disaster recovery solutions. This capability is crucial for compliance with regulatory requirements and safeguarding against data loss.

Types of Data Center Interconnects

As shown in the figure below, we can think about three categories of data center interconnects based on their reach

Intra-data center interconnects (< 2km)
Campus data center interconnects (<10km)
Metro data center interconnects (<100km)

Figure 1: Example of different data center interconnect (DCI) links. Intra-data center interconnects usually have lengths up to 2kms, campus interconnects up to 10km, and metro DCIs up to 100km, although there can be longer DCIs.

Intra-datacenter interconnects operate within a single data center facility .These interconnects are designed for short-distance communication within the same data center building or complex. Intra-DCIs are optimized for high-speed, low-latency connections between servers, storage systems, and networking devices within a single data center. They are crucial for supporting the internal communication and workload distribution required for efficient data center operations.

Campus DCIs connect multiple data centers but are typically limited to a campus area, which may include multiple buildings or locations within a relatively close proximity.This type of interconnect is suitable for organizations with distributed computing resources that need to be interconnected for redundancy, load balancing, and seamless failover within a campus environment.

Metro DCIs connect data centers that are located in different metropolitan areas or cities. They cover longer distances compared to intra-datacenter and campus interconnects, typically spanning tens of kilometers to a few hundred kilometers.

Metro DCIs are essential for creating a network of interconnected data centers across a metropolitan region. They facilitate data replication, disaster recovery, and business continuity by enabling seamless communication and resource sharing between data centers that may be geographically dispersed but still within a reasonable proximity.

The Rise of Edge Data Centers

Various trends are driving the rise of the edge cloud:

5G technology and the Internet of Things (IoT): These mobile networks and sensor networks need low-cost computing resources closer to the user to reduce latency and better manage the higher density of connections and data.
Content delivery networks (CDNs): The popularity of CDN services continues to grow, and most web traffic today is served through CDNs, especially for major sites like Facebook, Netflix, and Amazon. By using content delivery servers that are more geographically distributed and closer to the edge and the end user, websites can reduce latency, load times, and bandwidth costs as well as increasing content availability and redundancy.
Software-defined networks (SDN) and Network function virtualization (NFV). The increased use of SDNs and NFV requires more cloud software processing.
Augment and virtual reality applications (AR/VR): Edge data centers can reduce the streaming latency and improve the performance of AR/VR applications.

Several of these applications require lower latencies than before, and centralized cloud computing cannot deliver those data packets quickly enough. A data center on a town or suburb aggregation point could halve the latency compared to a centralized hyperscale data center. Enterprises with their own data center on-premises can reduce latencies by 12 to 30 times compared to hyperscale data centers.

Cisco estimates that 85 zettabytes of useful raw data were created in 2021, but only 21 zettabytes were stored and processed in data centers. Edge data centers can help close this gap. For example, industries or cities can use edge data centers to aggregate all the data from their sensors. Instead of sending all this raw sensor data to the core cloud, the edge cloud can process it locally and turn it into a handful of performance indicators. The edge cloud can then relay these indicators to the core, which requires a much lower bandwidth than sending the raw data.

Figure 2. Global data center traffic vs. useable data created per year. Graphic sourced from Cisco Global Cloud Index.

Takeaways

In conclusion, Data Center Interconnects (DCIs) play a pivotal role in fostering reliable, available, and high-performing data center operations, ensuring seamless communication and workload distribution. The categorization of DCIs into intra-data center, campus, and metro interconnects reflects their adaptability to various communication needs. The emergence of edge data centers, driven by 5G, IoT, CDNs, SDNs, NFV, and AR/VR applications, addresses the demand for low-latency computing resources.

Positioned strategically at aggregation points, edge data centers efficiently process and relay data, contributing to bandwidth optimization and closing the gap between raw data generation and traditional data center capacities. As organizations navigate a data-intensive landscape, the evolution of DCIs and the rise of edge data centers underscore their critical role in ensuring the seamless, efficient functioning of distributed computing ecosystems.

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Tags: 5G technology, Backup strategies, Campus interconnects, Cloud services, Content delivery networks (CDNs), Data center interconnects, Data replication, DCIs, Distributed computing resources, edge data centers, EFFECT Photonics, High-speed connections, Internet of Things (IoT), Intra-data center interconnects, Latency reduction, Metro interconnects, Networking technologies, Performance optimization, Redundancy, Scalability, Software-defined networks (SDN).

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January 10, 2024

From the Lab Boutique to High Volume Production: How to Scale Up Photonics Manufacturing

Photonics, the science and technology of generating, detecting, and manipulating light, has witnessed remarkable progress…

Photonics, the science and technology of generating, detecting, and manipulating light, has witnessed remarkable progress in recent years. From cutting-edge research in academic labs to breakthrough innovations in startups, photonics is poised to revolutionize various industries, from telecommunications to healthcare. However, despite its tremendous potential, the transition from boutique lab-scale production to high-volume manufacturing remains a significant challenge.

To overcome this hurdle, the photonics industry must draw lessons from the successful scaling of electronics manufacturing. By adopting key strategies and practices that have propelled the electronics industry into the realm of mass production, photonics can pave the way for widespread adoption and integration into our everyday lives.

Learning from Electronics Packaging

A key way to improve photonics manufacturing is to learn from electronics packaging, assembly, and testing methods that are already well-known and standardized. After all, building a new special production line is much more expensive than modifying an existing production flow.

One electronic technique essential to transfer into photonics is ball-grid array (BGA) packaging. BGA-style packaging has grown popular among electronics manufacturers over the last few decades. It places the chip connections under the chip package, allowing more efficient use of space in circuit boards, a smaller package size, and better soldering.

Figure 1: Top, bottom, and side views of a ball-grid array (BGA) style package.

Another critical technique to move into photonics is flip-chip bonding. This process is 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.

Figure 2: Simplified steps of the flip chip bonding process.

These might be novel technologies for photonics developers who have started implementing them in the last five or ten years. However, the electronics industry embraced these technologies 20 or 30 years ago. Making these techniques more widespread will make a massive difference in photonics’ ability to scale up and become as available as electronics.

Adopting BGA-style packaging and flip-chip bonding techniques will make it easier for PICs to survive this soldering process. There is ongoing research and development worldwide, including at EFFECT Photonics, to transfer more electronics packaging methods into photonics. PICs that can handle being soldered to circuit boards allow the industry to build optical subassemblies that are more accessible to the open market and can go into trains, cars, or airplanes.

Supply Chain Optimization

Electronics manufacturers have honed the art of supply chain management to achieve cost-effective and efficient production processes. This includes strategies like just-in-time inventory management, lean manufacturing principles, and global sourcing. In contrast, the photonics industry often faces challenges related to specialized materials and components, resulting in longer lead times and higher costs.

Photonics manufacturers can learn from electronics by implementing supply chain optimization strategies. This involves diversifying sources, streamlining production workflows, and leveraging economies of scale. By fostering strategic partnerships with suppliers and embracing advanced inventory management systems, the photonics industry can overcome the hurdles that have hindered its growth.

Figure 3: Key locations of EFFECT Photonics’ global supply chain. This includes our offices but also some locations where manufacturing is outsourced. We don’t mention the locations of our off-the-shelf component suppliers.

The Advantages of Moving to a Fabless Model

Increasing the volume of photonics manufacturing is a big challenge. Some photonic chip developers manufacture their chips in-house within their fabrication facilities. This approach has some substantial advantages, giving component manufacturers complete control over their production process.

Figure 4: Simplified value chain diagram of a vertically-integrated optical transceiver developer. The developer handles the PIC design, manufacturing, and packaging.

However, if a vertically-integrated chip developer wants to scale up in volume, they must make a hefty capital expenditure (CAPEX) in more equipment and personnel. They must develop new fabrication processes as well as develop and train personnel. Fabs are not only expensive to build but to operate. Unless they can be kept at nearly full utilization, operating expenses (OPEX) also drain the facility owners’ finances.

Especially in the case of an optical transceiver market that is not as big as that of consumer electronics, it’s hard not to wonder whether that initial investment is cost-effective. For example, LightCounting estimates that 55 million optical transceivers were sold in 2021, while the International Data Corporation estimates that 1.4 billion smartphones were sold in 2021. The latter figure is 25 times larger than that of the transceiver market.

Electronics manufacturing experienced a similar problem during their 70s and 80s boom, with smaller chip start-ups facing almost insurmountable barriers to market entry because of the massive CAPEX required. Furthermore, the large-scale electronics manufacturing foundries had excess production capacity that drained their OPEX. The large-scale foundries ended up selling that excess capacity to the smaller chip developers, who became fabless. In this scenario, everyone ended up winning. The foundries serviced multiple companies and could run their facilities at total capacity, while the fabless companies could outsource manufacturing and reduce their expenditures.

This fabless model, with companies designing and selling the chips but outsourcing the manufacturing, could also be the way to go for photonics. The troubles of scaling up for photonics developers are outsourced and (from the perspective of the fabless company) become as simple as putting a purchase order in place. Furthermore, the fabless model allows photonics developers to concentrate their R&D resources on the end market. This might be the most straightforward way for photonics to move into million-scale volumes.

Takeaways

Scaling up photonics manufacturing from boutique labs to high-volume production is a pivotal step in realizing the full potential of this transformative technology. By taking a page from the electronics industry’s playbook, focusing on standardization, optimizing the supply chain, and embracing automation, the photonics industry can overcome the challenges that have impeded its growth. With concerted efforts and strategic investments, the future of photonics looks poised for a paradigm shift, bringing us closer to a world illuminated by the power of light.

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Tags: automation, BGA packaging, EFFECT Photonics, electronics, Fabless model, Flip-chip bonding, Global sourcing, innovation, Integrated circuits, Integrated Photonics, Just-in-time inventory, Lean manufacturing, Manufacturing, Optical transceiver, Photonics, PICs (Photonic Integrated Circuits), R&D, Scaling up, Semiconductor, Standardization, supply chain

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December 20, 2023

The Role of Photonics in Advancing Smart Cities and IoT Networks

In the era of rapid urbanization and technological advancement, the challenges faced by smart cities…

In the era of rapid urbanization and technological advancement, the challenges faced by smart cities and IoT networks are more pressing than ever. With the increasing demand for efficient, interconnected systems, the need for a robust and reliable infrastructure is paramount. Enter photonics, a cutting-edge technology that harnesses the power of light to revolutionize communication and sensing systems. This article explores how photonics offers a promising solution to the complex problems faced by smart cities and IoT networks.

Enhanced Data Transmission and Bandwidth:

One of the foremost challenges in smart cities and IoT networks is the sheer volume of data that needs to be processed and transmitted in real-time. Traditional electronic systems often struggle to keep up with this demand, leading to bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Photonics, on the other hand, utilizes light to transmit data, enabling significantly higher bandwidths and faster transmission speeds.

Figure 1: Telecommunication tower with 5G cellular network antenna on city background

Fiber optic networks, a prime example of photonics application, have already proven their mettle in providing high-speed internet to urban areas. By transmitting data in the form of light pulses through optical fibers, these networks can achieve gigabit speeds, ensuring seamless communication between devices, sensors, and systems. This enhanced data transmission capability is crucial for enabling the real-time monitoring and control required in smart cities and IoT networks.

Robust Sensing and Monitoring Systems

Smart cities rely heavily on an extensive network of sensors to monitor various parameters like air quality, traffic flow, temperature, and more. Photonics plays a pivotal role in enhancing the capabilities of these sensing systems. For instance, photonic sensors can provide highly accurate measurements using techniques such as interferometry and spectroscopy.

Furthermore, photonics enables the development of LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) systems, which use laser pulses to create detailed 3D maps of urban environments. These maps are invaluable for applications like autonomous vehicles, urban planning, and disaster response. The precision and reliability of photonics-based sensing technologies are indispensable for the effective functioning of smart cities.

Figure 2 time-of-flight LIDAR system — Figure 2: Diagram of a time-of-flight LIDAR system

Reduced Latency and Real-time Responsiveness:

In smart cities and IoT networks, milliseconds matter. Applications such as autonomous vehicles, healthcare monitoring, and smart grid management require near-instantaneous response times. Photonics plays a crucial role in minimizing latency.

By using light-based communication, photonics enables data to travel at nearly the speed of light, significantly reducing the time it takes for information to reach its destination. This real-time responsiveness is essential for applications that demand split-second decision-making. Whether it’s ensuring the safety of pedestrians on busy streets or optimizing energy distribution in a smart grid, the low latency provided by photonics is a game-changer.

Takeaways

In the face of the challenges posed by urbanization and the demand for interconnected systems, photonics emerges as a game-changing technology for smart cities and IoT networks. Its ability to facilitate high-speed data transmission, promote secure communication, and ensure scalability positions it as a key enabler of the smart cities of the future.

As we continue to advance towards a more connected and sustainable urban landscape, harnessing the potential of photonics will be instrumental in overcoming the hurdles that lie ahead. By integrating photonics into the fabric of smart cities and IoT networks, we pave the way for a more efficient, resilient, and environmentally conscious urban future.

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Tags: Autonomous Vehicles, bandwidth, Communication Systems, Data transmission, EFFECT Photonics, Fiber-optic networks, Healthcare Monitoring, high-speed internet, IoT Networks, Latency reduction, LIDAR, Photonic Sensors, Photonics, Real-time Responsiveness, Scalability, Sensing Systems, Smart Cities, Smart Grid Management, Sustainable Urban Development, Technological Advancement, Urbanization

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November 21, 2023

How Optical Networks Illuminate Remote Work

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, the concept of work has undergone a remarkable transformation. The…

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, the concept of work has undergone a remarkable transformation. The rise of remote work and telecommuting has transcended traditional office settings, allowing individuals to contribute from the comfort of their homes or other remote locations. This shift has been expedited by technological advancements, with reliable and high-speed internet connectivity emerging as the lifeblood of this new work paradigm. As the limitations of traditional networks become increasingly evident in meeting the demands of remote work, the spotlight has turned to optical networks as a solution that not only addresses these challenges but also propels remote and hybrid work environments to new heights.

Traditional networks, predominantly reliant on copper-based infrastructure, were designed to cater to the needs of an era when remote work was more of an exception than a rule. As remote work gained momentum, these networks often struggled to cope with the demands of simultaneous video conferencing, data transfers, and cloud-based applications. Slow speeds, bandwidth limitations, and inconsistent connectivity resulted in frustrated workers and disrupted workflows. These limitations became glaringly evident during peak usage times, when the networks would buckle under the strain, impeding productivity and causing communication breakdowns.

Speed and Scalability Advantages of Optical Networks

Enter optical networks, leveraging the power of optical fiber to revolutionize remote work. As shown in the figure below, optical networks utilize light pulses to transmit data, offering unparalleled speed and scalability. Unlike traditional copper-based networks, which are constrained by the physical limitations of the medium, optical networks enable data to travel at the speed of light, allowing for seamless and rapid communication between remote workers and their colleagues, clients, or collaborators.

Figure 1: How transceivers convert electrical data signals into light pulses and vice-versa.

The incredible bandwidth capacity of optical fibers means that even data-intensive tasks like high-definition video streaming and large file transfers can be accomplished without a hint of lag. This inherent speed boosts productivity and enhances the quality of virtual interactions, fostering a sense of connectedness that bridges geographical divides. The robustness of optical networks is further exemplified by their ability to handle ever-increasing workloads. As remote workforces expand and data demands grow, optical networks can effortlessly accommodate these needs without compromising performance, making them an ideal companion for the modern remote work landscape.

Low Latency for Real-Time Communication

The latency between data transmission and reception has long been a thorn for remote workers. Delays in video conferences, voice calls, and collaborative applications can hinder effective communication and teamwork. Optical networks come to the rescue with their remarkably low latency characteristics. The efficiency of transmitting data via light signals ensures that delays are minimized, enabling real-time interactions that simulate face-to-face communication.

Figure 2: Optical networks have enabled a broader use of video calling worldwide.

Remote workers can engage in spontaneous discussions, contribute ideas during brainstorming sessions, and provide instant feedback without the frustrating lag that often plagues traditional networks. This low latency factor improves the remote work experience and lays the groundwork for a future where virtual reality and augmented reality applications become integral to remote collaboration. The near-instantaneous data transfer facilitated by optical networks facilitates a sense of presence, allowing remote workers to feel like active participants in the shared digital space.

Eco-Friendly and Energy-Efficient Networks

In an era marked by heightened environmental consciousness, the eco-friendliness of technology solutions is a significant consideration. Optical networks shine in this regard as well. The energy consumption of optical networks is notably lower than that of traditional networks.

When electricity moves through a wire or coaxial cable, it encounters resistance, which leads to energy loss in the form of heat. Conversely, light experiences much less resistance when traveling through optical fiber, resulting in significantly lower energy loss during data transmission. As shown in the figure below, this energy loss gets exponentially worse with faster (i.e., higher-frequency) signals that can carry more data. Networks based on electrical signals also require more signal boosters and repeaters at regular intervals to maintain data integrity over long distances.

Figure Comparison of attenuation losses — Figure 3: Comparison of attenuation losses (in dBs) between 10 meters of a coaxial cable, 100 meters of a coaxial cable, and 1 kilometer of optical fiber. The losses in fiber increase significantly less with frequency compared to coaxial cable. Original figure from *ViaLite* Communications.

These devices demand substantial energy inputs and contribute to a larger carbon footprint. In contrast, optical networks transmit data over longer distances without the need for frequent signal regeneration, resulting in reduced energy consumption and lower emissions. By adopting optical networks, companies can enhance their remote work capabilities and contribute to sustainable practices that benefit the planet.

Conclusion

As remote work and hybrid work models become the norm rather than the exception, the importance of robust and reliable internet connectivity cannot be overstated. With their limitations in speed, scalability, latency, and energy efficiency, traditional networks have struggled to meet the demands of this evolving landscape. Optical networks, powered by the prowess of optical fiber technology, illuminate the path forward for remote work.

With their speed and scalability, low latency attributes, and eco-friendly characteristics, optical networks have addressed the challenges that once hindered remote work’s potential. Optical networks have unlocked new possibilities, allowing remote workers to seamlessly collaborate, communicate, and contribute in real time, regardless of their location.

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Tags: bandwidth limitations, cloud-based applications, connectivity, copper-based infrastructure, data transfers, eco-friendly networks, EFFECT Photonics, energy-efficient technology, fiber optic technology, high-speed internet, Low latency, optical networks, real-time communication, remote work, Speed of light, sustainable practices, telecommuting, traditional networks, video conferencing, virtual interactions, work paradigm

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November 15, 2023

The Highways of Light: How Optical Fiber Works

Optical fibers revolutionized how we transmit data, enabling faster long-distance connections. These slender strands of…

Optical fibers revolutionized how we transmit data, enabling faster long-distance connections. These slender strands of glass or plastic carry light pulses and serve as the backbone of modern telecommunication networks. Optical fibers have found applications beyond communications, including imaging, sensing, and medicine, further showcasing their versatility and impact in various fields.

Early optical fibers suffered significant losses during transmission, limiting their practicality for long-haul communication. In 1966, Charles Kao and George Hockham proposed that impurities in the glass were responsible for these losses, and they suggested that high-purity silica glass could achieve a much more reasonable attenuation of 20 dB per kilometer for telecommunications. This breakthrough, for which Kao received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2009, kickstarted an era of explosive progress and growth for optical fiber.

In 1970, Corning scientists Robert Maurer, Donald Keck, and Peter Schultz successfully fabricated a glass fiber with an attenuation of 16 dB per kilometer, exceeding the performance benchmark set by Kao and Hockham. Two years later, Corning pushed the envelope further and achieved a loss of 4 dB/km, an order of magnitude improvement over their first effort. By 1979, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) had reached a loss of 0.2 dB/km, meaning that only 5% of the light signal was lost over one kilometer. Optical fibers were ready for the world stage and deployed worldwide throughout the 1980s. The first transatlantic optical fiber link, spanning 6000 km, was established in 1988.

In this article, we will delve into the fascinating world of optical fibers, exploring how they work and what role optical transceivers play in fiber communications.

The Principle of Total Internal Reflection

Light bends when it passes from one material to another, such as from air to water. This bending occurs due to the change in the speed of light when it encounters a different material, causing the light rays to change direction. How much light changes direction depends on the angle at which it enters the new material and the factor by which the material slows down light. The latter factor is known as the refractive index of the material.

Figure 1 GREEN PENCIL IN GLASS OF WATER 1024 — Figure 1: Light refraction from a green-colored pencil inside a glass of water.

When light travels from a material of a higher refractive index to one of a lower index at a specific critical angle, the light will be entirely reflected into the high-index material. This phenomenon is called total internal reflection and is the fundamental principle behind the operation of optical fibers.

Optical Fibers and Total Internal Reflection

Optical fibers consist of a high-refractive-index core surrounded by a low-refractive-index cladding layer. Light entering the fiber core through one end at the correct critical angle will bounce back whenever it reaches the boundary between the core and the cladding. This behavior effectively traps light inside the core, allowing the light pulses to propagate through the fiber with minimal loss over long distances.

Figure 2: Diagram of light trapped inside an optical fiber by total internal reflection.

Optical fibers can achieve single-mode or multi-mode operation by carefully engineering the refractive indices of the core and cladding. Single-mode fibers have a small core diameter to transmit only a single optical mode or path. In contrast, multi-mode fibers have a larger core diameter, enabling the propagation of multiple modes simultaneously.

Figure 3: Comparing light propagation in multimode fiber and single-mode fiber. While the claddings are the same size, the single-mode fiber core is much smaller than the multimode one.

The quality of the light signal degrades when traveling through an optical fiber by a process called dispersion. The same phenomenon happens when a prism splits white light into several colors. The single-mode fiber design minimizes dispersion, making single-mode fibers ideal for long-distance communication. Since they are more susceptible to dispersion, multi-mode fibers are well-suited for short-distance applications such as local area networks (LANs).

The Role of Optical Transceivers in Fiber

Optical transceivers play a crucial role in fiber communications by converting electrical signals into optical signals for fiber transmission and vice versa when the optical signal is received. They act as the interface between fiber optical networks and electronic computing devices such as computers, routers, and switches.

As the name implies, an optical transceiver contains both a transmitter and a receiver within a single module. The transmitter has a laser or LED that generates light pulses representing the electronic data signal. On the receiving end, the receiver detects the optical signals and converts them back into electrical signals, which electronic devices can further process.

There are many different approaches to encode electrical data into light pulses. Two key approaches are intensity modulation/direct detection (IM-DD) and coherent transmission. IM-DD transmission only uses the amplitude of the light signal to encode data, while coherent transmission manipulates three different light properties to encode data: amplitude, phase, and polarization. These additional degrees of modulation allow for faster optical signals without compromising the transmission distance.

Direct Detection or Coherent? EFFECT Photonics explains

Takeaways

Optical fibers have transformed telecommunications in the last 50 years, enabling the rapid and efficient transmission of data over vast distances. By exploiting the principles of total internal reflection, these slender strands of glass or plastic carry pulses of light with minimal loss, ensuring high-speed communication worldwide. Optical transceivers act as the vital link between optical fiber and electronic networking devices, facilitating the conversion of electrical signals to optical signals and vice versa. Optical fibers and transceivers are at the forefront of our interconnected world, serving as the highways of light the digital age drives on.

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Tags: amplifiers, cladding, coherent, conversion, core, Corning, detector, Direct Detect, dispersion, EFFECT Photonics, electrical, fiber, laser, Networks, Nobel Prize, noise, NTT, optical, refraction, refractive index, Telecommunications, total internal reflections, total internal relection, Transceiver

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October 7, 2023

The Power of Monolithic Lasers

Over the last decade, technological progress in tunable laser integration has matched the need for…

Over the last decade, technological progress in tunable laser integration has matched the need for smaller footprints. In 2011, tunable lasers followed the multi-source agreement (MSA) for integrable tunable laser assemblies (ITLAs). By 2015, tunable lasers were sold in the more compact micro-ITLA form factor, constituting a mere 22% of the original ITLA package volume. In 2019, the nano-ITLA form factor reduced ITLA volumes further, as the module was just 39% of the micro-ITLA volume.

Figure 4: Evolution of tunable laser form factors for coherent optics (2011-2021). Figure inspired from a picture in Laser Focus World. — Figure 1: Evolution of tunable laser form factors for coherent optics (2011-2021). Figure inspired from a picture in Laser Focus World.

Despite this progress, the industry will need further laser integration for the QSFP28 pluggables used in 100G ZR coherent access. Since QSFP28 pluggables have a lower power consumption and slightly smaller footprint than QSFP-DD modules, they should not use the same lasers as in QSFP-DD modules. They need specialized laser solutions with a smaller footprint and lower power consumption.

Table Comparison QSFP-DD and QSFP-28. — Figure 2: Comparison between QSFP-DD and QSFP-28 form factors for 100G applications.

Achieving these ambitious targets requires monolithic lasers that ideally include all key laser functions (gain, laser cavity, and wavelength locker) on the same chip. In this article, we will review the work from EFFECT Photonics and other laser developers to reach this monolithic integration goal.

External Cavity Lasers Are the Industry Standard

One of the most straightforward ways to improve the quality and tunability of a semiconductor laser is to use it inside a second, somewhat larger resonator. This setup is called an external cavity laser (ECL) since this new resonator or cavity will use additional optical elements external to the original laser.

Figure 3: Schematic of an external cavity laser. A typical semiconductor laser is the “base laser” (it could even be a DFB or DBR). The external cavity around that base laser is built with additional elements such as lenses, mirrors, or gratings for additional wavelength tuning.

The new external resonator provides more degrees of freedom for tuning the laser. If the resonator uses a mirror, then the laser can be tuned by moving the mirror a bit and changing the length of the resonator. If the resonator uses a grating, it has an additional element to tune the laser by filtering.

ECLs have become the state-of-the-art solution in the telecom industry: they use a DFB or DBR laser as the “base laser” and external gratings as their filtering element for additional tuning. These lasers can provide a high-quality laser beam with low noise, narrow linewidth, and a wide tuning range. However, they came with a cost: manufacturing complexity.

ECLs initially required free-space bulk optical elements, such as lenses and mirrors, for the external cavity. One of the hardest things to do in photonics is coupling between free-space optics and a chip. This alignment of the free-space external cavity with the original laser chip is extremely sensitive to environmental disturbances. Therefore, their coupling is often inefficient and complicates manufacturing and assembly processes, making these lasers much harder to manufacture in volume.

Re-Integrating the Laser Cavity

In 2019, researchers from NeoPhotonics (now part of Lumentum) published a laser design that tried to overcome this obstacle by manufacturing the external cavity on a separate chip coupled to the original laser chip. Coupling these two chips together still entails some manufacturing complexity, but it is a more feasible and scalable setup than coupling from chip to free space optics.

Figure 4: Schematic of an “integrated” external cavity laser in which the external cavity is manufactured on a second chip coupled to the base laser.

In 2021, Furukawa announced a new laser design for their upcoming nano-ITLA. This design fully reintegrates the laser cavity on an InP gain chip while still meeting the power and tunability required of the laser. This was tremendous progress, but one component remained elusive to integrate on the same chip: the wavelength locker.

Every tunable laser needs a wavelength locker component that can stabilize the laser’s output regardless of environmental conditions such as temperature. This component is usually an additional optical resonator that requires coupling from chip to free space or from chip to glass. In the case of the Furukawa design, a small wavelength locker was made in glass, which made the coupling to the chip slightly easier but still lossy.

Full Monolithic Integration with the Wavelength Locker

EFFECT Photonics takes a very different approach to building lasers. Most developers make their lasers using linear resonators in which the laser light bounces back and forth between two mirrors. However, EFFECT Photonics uses ring resonators, which take a different approach to feedback: the light loops multiple times inside a ring that contains the active medium. The ring is coupled to the rest of the optical circuit via a waveguide.

Figure 5: Comparison between (a) a linear laser and (b) a ring laser. Both of these diagrams show the electrical p- and n- contacts.

The power of the ring resonator lies in its compactness, flexibility, and integrability. While a single ring resonator is not that impressive or tunable, using multiple rings and other optical elements allows them to achieve performance and tunability on par with the state-of-the-art tunable lasers that use linear resonators.

Most importantly, these widely tunable ring lasers can be entirely constructed on a single chip of Indium Phosphide (InP) material. This enables the development of a tunable laser whose functions are all monolithically integrated on a single InP chip. This includes the gain section, laser cavity, optical amplifier, and wavelength locker onto one chip.

This monolithic integration of all tunable laser functions allows EFFECT Photonics to develop a novel pico-ITLA (pITLA) module that will become the world’s smallest ITLA for coherent applications. The pITLA is the next step in tunable laser integration, including all laser functions in a package with just 20% of the volume of a nano-ITLA module. The figure below shows that even a standard matchstick dwarves the pITLA in size.

Figure 6: Volume reduction of ITLA form factors for coherent optics (2011-2023). A match of roughly 4cm in length is included for scale.

Takeaways

External cavity lasers have been the industry telecom standards, but they are difficult to manufacture in high volumes. Ideally, the best way to scale laser production is to integrate as many lasers functions as possible (gain medium, laser cavity, and wavelength locker) on the same chip. The laser can then be manufactured with a high-volume semiconductor process.

EFFECT Photonics’ laser solution is unique because it enables a widely tunable and monolithically integrated laser with all elements, including wavelength locker, on the same chip. This setup is ideal for scaling into high production volumes.

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Tags: coherent optics, EFFECT Photonics, External cavity lasers (ECL), Furukawa laser design, High-volume semiconductor production, Indium Phosphide (InP), ITLA package, Laser module integration, Laser resonator, micro ITLA, Monolithic lasers, nano ITLA, NeoPhotonics, Photonic integrated circuit (PIC), QSFP-DD pluggables, QSFP28 pluggables, Ring resonators, Semiconductor laser, Tunable laser technology, wavelength locker

In the News

October 4, 2023

ECOC Expo Showcases Latest Developments in Optical Communications

– optics.org

Press Releases

October 2, 2023

EFFECT Photonics Verifies Fully Integrated InP PIC for World’s Smallest Digital ITLA for Coherent Applications

– The PIC features support for 100G, 400G and 800G ZR applications and will become…

– The PIC features support for 100G, 400G and 800G ZR applications and will become the cornerstone of the smallest tunable laser assembly for coherent applications.

Eindhoven, The Netherlands

EFFECT Photonics, a leading developer of highly integrated optical solutions, announced today the verification of its fully integrated tunable laser InP-based Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC), the core enabler powering its digital Pico Integrated Tunable Laser Assembly (pITLA). Tunable lasers are a core component of coherent optical systems enabling Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), which allows network operators to expand their network capacity without expanding the existing fiber infrastructure. With this milestone, the tunable laser InP-based Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) has successfully passed a series of tests showing required performance items outlined by IEEE Std. 802.3-2022, 100GBASE-ZR.

Unlike tunable laser assemblies currently available, the core of EFFECT Photonics digital pITLA is a tunable laser implemented fully as a monolithic integrated InP PIC. This enables advantages such as the ability to achieve a compact footprint, higher assembly yields, and ease of integration into pluggable form factors. The InP PIC is the only solution to integrate the gain section, laser cavity, optical amplifier, and wavelength locker into one chip. By incorporating these functions on a single chip and including the control functions in the assembly, the user can easily communicate and control the laser by simply providing digital commands.

“In the last decade, the industry has made impressive strides in reducing the size of crucial coherent optical functions, making way for digital coherent modules. EFFECT Photonics pITLA sets a new precedent in photonic integration by eliminating the need for external micro-optics for control of tunable lasers,” said Roberto Marcoccia, CEO of EFFECT Photonics. “Our monolithic approach maintains all vital functions while drastically reducing the device’s overall size to a smaller form factor previously unattainable.”

Purposely designed to simplify the design of small form factor pluggables, the integrated InP PIC is the foundation of EFFECT Photonics new pITLA, providing an outstanding blend of power, cost-effectiveness, and compactness. It paves the way for the effortless and cost-efficient design of coherent pluggables, opening up new possibilities for the industry.

To learn more about the EFFECT Photonics pITLA, visit Stand 547 at ECOC23 or attend EFFECT Photonics’ Market Focus Session “Power and Integration: InP for Coherent Transceivers at the Network Edge” on Monday, October 2 at 12pm.

In the last decade, the industry has made impressive strides in reducing the size of crucial coherent optical functions, making way for digital coherent modules. EFFECT Photonics pITLA sets a new precedent in photonic integration by eliminating the need for external micro-optics for control of tunable lasers. Our monolithic approach maintains all vital functions while drastically reducing the device’s overall size to a smaller form factor previously unattainable.

Roberto Marcoccia, CEO of EFFECT Photonics

About EFFECT Photonics

Where Light Meets Digital – EFFECT Photonics is a highly vertically integrated, independent optical systems company addressing the need for high-performance, affordable optic solutions driven by the ever-increasing demand for bandwidth and faster data transfer capabilities. Using our company’s field-proven digital signal processing and forward error correction technology and ultra-pure light sources, we offer compact form factors with seamless integration, cost efficiency, low power, and security of supply. By leveraging established microelectronics ecosystems, we aim to make our products affordable and available in high volumes to address the challenges in 5G and beyond, access-ready coherent solutions, and cloud and cloud edge services. For more information, please visit: www.effectphotonics.com. Follow EFFECT Photonics on LinkedIn and Twitter.

# # #

Media Contact:
Colleen Cronin
EFFECT Photonics
colleencronin@effectphotonics.com

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Tags: EFFECT Photonics, Integrated Photonics, laser, Photonics, Pico, pTLA

Insights

September 29, 2023

Introducing Our New Coherent Product Manager: Charlie Fu

EFFECT Photonics’ coherent technology portfolio has grown in the last two years, including coherent transceivers,…

EFFECT Photonics’ coherent technology portfolio has grown in the last two years, including coherent transceivers, laser sources, and digital signal processors. To lead this portfolio, EFFECT Photonics has hired Charlie Fu as our new Coherent Product Manager. To give you more insight into our new colleague and what drives him, we asked him a few questions.

Charlie Fu our new Coherent Product Manager

Tell us a little more about yourself and your background.

So, my whole life is actually devoted to photonics. When I was a student in college, I studied optoelectronics, and my undergraduate project was doing a diode laser response curve. I also worked hard in graduate school with my supervisor in the lab to test coherent lasers back in the early 1990s when this technology was in its early stages. Back then, the laser was based on bulk micro-optics and could transmit for maybe 10 kilometers of distance. It was a significantly bigger package than now.

I was very lucky to start my career during an optical communications boom, working on fiber optic devices and modules with JDS Uniphase. I built my career there, starting with optical design and a lot of learning.

I then moved to a network company, Nortel Networks, designing links for long-haul transmission systems. We ensured the performance of the optical system and how to specify all the optical components modules to ensure the required performance. Nortel had a very ambitious project at the time. It was a technology challenge of transmitting 40G long haul transmission. Perhaps too ambitious, the year 2000 was perhaps too early still to go coherent.

So yeah, my whole career has been devoted to optics. From working as a hardware design engineer and learning all the optical transponder optical module design. Working with a few well-known brands such as Oclaro.

What did you find exciting about working for EFFECT Photonics?

So I think EFFECT Photonics has a good combination of people and technology, with many interesting technology innovations. The entrepreneurial drive to achieve success.

What attracted me the most was the core technology message of where light meets digital. If we look around, quite a lot of companies have photonics technology OR digital signal processing (DSP) technology. But almost no one has both IP for DSP and photonic technology. Having those IPs puts EFFECT Photonics in a very unique, prestigious position.

What do you find exciting about coherent technology and what has drawn you to it over your career?

I still believe coherent technology is in its infant stage in its application to optical communication. There are still a lot of things to do. For example, moving it to access network communications instead of just long haul. That’s something EFFECT Photonics wants to do and why I’m very excited about the future of our coherent optics.

The coherent system implementation may have changed a lot and gotten smaller, but the technology, the core concept, it’s still exactly the same as 30 years ago. I want to help develop these new systems with the new technology available to optics in the semiconductor sector.

I’m very excited to develop products that use these new technologies, hence why I am now in a Product Manager position.

I’m very excited to leverage my experience and knowledge and I’m very confident I can make a positive contribution to EFFECT Photonics in product design and development.

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Tags: Access Network Communication, Charlie Fu, coherent, Coherent Product Manager, Core Technology Message, digital signal processing (DSP), EFFECT Photonics, Entrepreneurial Drive, Fiber Optic Devices, Innovative Technology, Integrated Photonics, IP for DSP and Photonic Technology, Long-Haul Transmission, Optical Communication, Optical Design, Optical Module Design, Optical Transponder, Photonic Technology, Photonics, Photonics Technology, Product Design, Product Development, Semiconductor Sector

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