News: Optoelectronics
4 March 2022
POET launches 400G FR4 and 800G (2x400G FR4) receive optical engines
POET Technologies Inc of Toronto, Ontario, Canada — a designer of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for the data-center and telecom markets — has launched its 400G FR4 and 800G (2x400G FR4) receive (RX) optical engines based on the POET Optical Interposer hybrid silicon photonics platform.
The 400G FR4 receive optical engine PIC is claimed to be the industry’s only chip-scale integrated (single chip) version of a FR4 RX optical engine available, with associated performance, power and cost advantages that apply to a dual 400G FR4 (for an 800G) receive solution as well. The advantages are derived from the POET Optical Interposer platform, which enables the integration of ‘best of breed’ photonic components onto a single chip passively (without any costly active alignment requirements). In addition, the products demonstrate four unique features that, when combined, result in a superior solution compared with either standard free-space optics or standard silicon photonics-based engines, it is claimed:
- four 100G or eight 100G (in the 2x400G configuration) 56 gigabaud (GB) photodetectors flip-chipped onto the Optical Interposer and coupled passively to vertical mirrors embedded in the Optical Interposer;
- a low-loss AWG (arrayed waveguide grating)-based quad-wavelength demultiplexer that is polarization independent (non-birefringent), temperature independent (athermal) and is monolithically integrated into the optical waveguide layer of the Optical Interposer (all features that are advantageous and superior to conventional silicon photonics optical engines, it is reckoned);
- input spot size converters integrated into the optical waveguide layer that precisely match the input mode size of a single-mode fiber, further enhancing its low-loss performance; and
- a small size (3.8mm x 10mm) form factor, which enables an 800G optical engine in a 2x400G configuration in both OSFP and QSFP-DD800 optical transceiver modules.
“We’re excited to begin sampling and qualification of our 400G/800G FR receivers ahead of our original schedule,” says chairman & CEO Dr Suresh Venkatesan. “Our advanced and proprietary hybrid silicon photonics platform technology is uniquely suited to provide the cost and performance required for 400G and 800G FR4 modules. The product represents a true ‘semiconductorization’ of photonic engines using traditional pick-and-place bonding equipment and passive alignment of photonics devices. With Super Photonics Xiamen (SPX), our joint venture with Sanan IC, we also provide the ability to rapidly scale production to meet the demands of this fast-growing market,” he adds.
“This 400G receiver utilizes a truly game-changing technology that will make POET’s approach of hybrid silicon photonics a force to reckon with in the 400G/800G FR4 module market,” comments Ben Chen, chief technology officer of Surinno Photonics (formerly Hengtong-Rockley). “POET Technologies has been able to utilize its platform concept to provide easy-to-use optical engines for the data communications market with rapid deployment and demonstrations of 100G/200G TX-RX engines and also 400G FR4 engines.”
LightCounting has forecasted that the market for 400G and 800G Ethernet transceiver modules will exceed $2bn annually by 2024. The 400G and 800G optical engines will be manufactured and provided by SPX.
