News: Optoelectronics
6 March 2023
Infinera unveils coherent optical subsystems and pluggable optical engines
Infinera Corp of Sunnyvale, CA, USA, a vertically integrated manufacturer of digital optical network systems, has unveiled a new portfolio of coherent optical subsystems and coherent pluggable optical engines designed to help network operators cost-effectively keep up with the relentless growth in bandwidth demand while streamlining operations and reducing carbon footprint.
The new solutions include a line of high-performance transmit–receive optical sub-assemblies (TROSAs), programmable digital signal processors (DSPs), and a line of high-performance, intelligent pluggable optical transceivers.
Infinera’s line of in-house-developed optical subsystems leverages a building-block approach whereby subsystems can be mixed and matched flexibly, maximizing the value of each element, providing more solution options for customers, and simplifying integration into in-house and third-party optical engines.
Building-block components include:
- Advanced coherent TROSAs – leveraging Infinera’s US-based, in-house indium phosphide (InP) fab, the new line of TROSAs is based on unique monolithically integrated photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The TROSAs reduce loss between components, provide increased control over optical functions, and enable greater flexibility in component design. The resulting solution produces what is claimed to be industry-leading size, power efficiency, flexibility and optical performance, with 0dBm output power levels to support a greater number of network applications. The initial set of products includes three TROSAs: ICTR32, ICTR64 and ICTR140, with nominal baud rates of 32Gbaud, 64Gbaud, and 140Gbaud, respectively.
- Intelligent programmable coherent DSPs – designed with innovative features, generational interoperability and what is claimed to be leading performance, Infinera says that its line of DSPs provides a robust set of capabilities and flexibility to bring unique value to networking solutions. As part of the firm’s advanced coherent subsystem offerings, the new line of high-performance DSPs includes the Wa’a 100, Wa’a 400 and Tahoe 800, supporting a range of point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications.
Pluggable coherent optical engines
Based on Infinera’s vertically integrated subsystem building blocks, Infinera’s line of ICE-X coherent pluggable solutions is designed to support a diverse set of network applications, including point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications in DCI, access, metro and regional networks. In addition to record-setting performance, Infinera’s ICE-X line of pluggables supports a unique level of intelligence, automation and programmability to enable network operators to deploy coherent solutions more effectively in routers, switches and servers without compromising on performance, visibility or network resiliency. Additionally, with support for 100Gb/s+ single-fiber bidirectional configurations and PON overlays, ICE-X can unleash the potential of existing fiber assets, enabling new revenue-generating high-speed services. Included in the line of ICE-X pluggables are 100G XR, 400G XR, 400G ZR+ and 800G ZR/ZR+ modules.
All products in the Infinera ICE-X portfolio adhere to the open and collaborative approach to the management of pluggable coherent optical engines defined by the Open XR Forum’s Management Architecture Specifications.
“There is significant growth in demand for increased capacity and capabilities of coherent technology, both in the core and closer to the network edge, driving the need for new innovations in coherent solutions optimized for these types of traffic patterns and deployment scenarios,” says Tom Burns, general manager of the Optical Modules & Coherent Solutions Group at Infinera. “Our portfolio of programmable TROSAs, coherent DSPs and ICE-X pluggables provides network operators with connectivity solutions that are compact, efficient, programmable and streamlined in operations without sacrificing network integrity, visibility or reliability.”
Infinera’s lines of TROSAs, DSPs and coherent pluggable transceivers will all be independently commercially available. Available now are ICE-X 100G- and 400G-based subsystems and pluggables, with the 800G-based solutions beginning to become available in first-half 2024.
Infinera’s latest generation of pluggable optical transceivers and subsystems are being showcased at the Optical Fiber Communications conference (OFC 2023) in San Diego, CA, USA (5-9 March).
