Acacia and Lumentum demo 200G interoperability in CFP2-DCO form factor

Acacia Communications Inc of Maynard, MA, USA (which develops and manufactures high-speed coherent optical interconnect products) and optical and photonic optical component and subsystem maker Lumentum Holdings Inc of Milpitas, CA, USA have demonstrated interoperability between their respective CFP2-DCO modules operating at 200G.

Based on Acacia’s Meru digital signal processor (DSP) application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), the modules demonstrated 200G transmission over an amplified link with greater than 1000km of standard single-mode fiber, using high-performance 8QAM and 16QAM operating modes. The demonstration validates 200G interoperability between Lumentum and Acacia CFP2-DCO modules for new deployments, as well as with Acacia’s CFP2-DCO modules already deployed in the field.

The modules were designed for plug-and-play compatibility, providing two proven coherent optics suppliers for CFP2-DCO modules, and to enable quick and cost-effective ment of 200G networks. The firms have worked together to develop and validate a common specification that provides optical interoperability, as well as a common host interface. The CFP2-DCO form factor has been adopted by multiple network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) in switch, router and transport platforms. Providing four times higher density than 100G CFP-DCO solutions by doubling the data rate in a smaller form factor, Acacia’s and Lumentum’s Meru-based CFP2-DCO modules offer interoperability without sacrificing capacity or performance.

“This demonstration of interoperability at 200G highlights the value that we intended to create through our collaboration with Lumentum on the CFP2-DCO,” says Acacia’s founder & chief technology officer Benny Mikkelsen. “Historically, interoperability in commercially available products has been limited to lower performance at 100G data rates,” he adds. “Meru-based modules are the only commercially available CFP2-DCO modules supporting 8QAM and 16QAM modulation at 200G,” Mikkelsen reckons.

CFP2-DCOs are becoming increasingly important for higher-speed optical networks because they integrate the coherent DSP into the pluggable module. The digital host interface enables simpler integration between module and system, resulting in faster service activation for telecom providers, and a pay-as-you-grow deployment model whereby the cost of additional ports can be deferred until additional services are needed.

“Industry trends are moving toward increasing multi-vendor interoperability, motivated by the needs of network operators,” says Beck Mason, senior VP, general manager, Telecom Transmission, at Lumentum. “Our CFP2-DCO module, based on our proven indium phosphide (InP) photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology, supports both standards-based interoperability at 100G, as well as higher performance modes at 100G and 200G.”

See related items:

Acacia launches ZR-class coherent CFP and CFP2 DCO pluggable modules

Tags: CFP2 Optical communications

Visit: www.lumentum.com

Visit: www.acacia-inc.com