News: Optoelectronics
8 October 2020
Acacia sampling 100G coherent bi-directional CFP2-DCO pluggable modules
In advance of the SCTE ISBE Cable-Tec Expo 2020 (taking place virtually, 12-16 October), Acacia Communications Inc of Maynard, MA, USA (which develops and manufactures high-speed coherent optical interconnect products) is sampling new coherent bi-directional pluggable optical modules designed to transmit and receive data in both directions on a single fiber for 100G and beyond.
Offered in a pluggable CFP2-DCO form factor, the new coherent bi-directional module is designed to deliver an operationally efficient and cost-effective way for telecom and cable operators to increase capacity in fiber-limited networks.
“With the addition of this coherent bi-directional solution to our recently announced 100G point-to-point and DWDM coherent solutions, Acacia is now able to offer a portfolio of products to address a wide variety of requirements in the edge and access market,” says VP of product line management Fenghai Liu. “In fiber-limited networks, optical waves are transmitted in a single fiber medium from both directions. In these networks, coherent receivers can efficiently help to eliminate the crosstalk from back reflections when it operates at a different wavelength than its transmitter. Acacia’s coherent bi-directional CFP2-DCO module is purpose-built for these applications.”
In cable networks, particularly Remote PHY and fiber deep applications, providers often run into situations where only a single fiber is available, says Acacia. Historically, these networks have been served by 10G bi-directional optical modules. To meet growing bandwidth demands, a coherent bi-directional solution can provide these networks with an upgrade path to 100G and beyond. When wireless networks are migrating from 4G LTE to 5G, fibers are more often constrained because of a large number of remote nodes and some fibers are utilized by existing services. In these instances, coherent bi-directional modules can alleviate both bandwidth and fiber constraints.
“Cignal AI recognized an opportunity for 100G coherent in the edge and access market back in 2018, and Acacia is the first to aggressively pursue it,” comments Scott Wilkinson, lead analyst at market research firm Cignal AI. “The time is right for network operators, such as cable MSOs, to bring coherent technology to their fiber-constrained networks, where Acacia’s bi-directional module can help them increase capacity.”
The new coherent bi-directional pluggable solutions, with two independent full-tunable laser sources, leverage Acacia’s 3D Siliconization approach, which utilizes high-volume manufacturing processes and benefits from the maturity of the firm’s silicon photonics technology.
Acacia’s coherent point-to-point, DWDM and bi-directional pluggable solutions were designed to meet the form factor, low power consumption and cost requirements that edge and access providers need to scale their networks in the future. Acacia says that these innovations have been made possible through its expertise in silicon photonics and low-power DSPs.
Acacia sampling 100G coherent DWDM pluggable module for edge and access networks
Acacia sampling 100G QSFP-DD coherent pluggable module
