News: Optoelectronics
13 September 2024
InSiGa and POET demo laser driver and optical engine combo at CIOE 2024
In booth 11B59 at the 2024 China International Optoelectronic Expo (CIOE) in the Shenzhen World Exhibition and Convention Center (11–13 September), China-based Chengdu InSiGa Semiconductor Technologies Co Ltd and POET Technologies Inc of Toronto, Ontario, Canada — designer and developer of the POET Optical Interposer, photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and light sources for the data-center, telecom and artificial intelligence (AI) markets — have developed and are showcasing in a live demonstration the combination of POET’s 200Gx4 transmit optical engine using InSiGa’s 200G/lane EML driver ISG-D9616 for 800G and 1.6T modules.
AI and big data have led to a significant increase in bandwidth in recent times and this higher bandwidth requirement can be supported by next-generation 800G/1.6T optical modules. 200Gbs/lane requirement is now required to achieve the highest-bandwidth modules that can be used to support AI and emerging data-center applications. A unique solution for 200Gx4 applications has been developed that is based on POET’s silicon-based optical interposer technology using InSiGa’s patented DC-coupled 200G/lane EML driver. This approach is claimed to provide the most compact solution and allow for optimal performance, as no external components are required between the EML and the driver. The design is built upon the implementation of similar optical engines using 100G/lane EML driver ISG-D5616 used in 400G optical engines designed by POET.
ISG-D9616 is a single-channel DC-coupled EML driver that can be flip-chipped or wire bonded directly to the EML. This differential input and single-ended output driver does not need any bias-T or capacitor between the driver and the EML. The differential input to the driver also offers cross-talk immunity, especially for 112Gbaud/s applications. The driver is very compact, with a die size of 0.7mm x 0.9mm. The driver needs no external 50Ω termination for the EML, making the design very simple and eliminating RF degradation due to extra bond wire inductance between the EML and the 50Ω termination. ISG-D9616 is sampling to customers now.
POET’s 800G FR4 and DR4 transmit optical engines (OE) consist of high-speed externally modulated lasers (EMLs), integrated EML drivers (ISG-D9616) and optical multiplexer (for FR4) assembled on POET’s optical interposer. The drivers and lasers are flip-chip attached at wafer scale and passively aligned to waveguides and multiplexer. The OEs have been designed specifically for use in 800G FR4 & 1.6T 2xFR4 and 800G DR4 & 1.6T DR8 OSFP and QSFP-DD pluggable transceivers.
Picture: Measured eye at 106Gbaud/s ER=4.5dB, TDECQ=2.4dB.
“We were thrilled to work with InSiGa to be able to bring this unique combination of engine and driver to market as end-user demand for 800G optical modules is skyrocketing,” says POET’s chairman & CEO Dr Suresh Venkatesan. “Both module companies and end-users want to see the path to next-generation performance at 1.6T and beyond… The ease of implementation, product roadmap and extraordinary performance of this combined solution should garner wide attention,” he adds.
“InSiGa has developed a number of platform-based products and ISG-D9616 is one such product that is derived from extensive R&D efforts spent on the 53Gbaud/s EML driver ISG-D5616. This approach allows for customers to quickly replace products for higher-baud-rate applications without making substantial changes to their designs,” says InSiGa Technologies’ CEO & chairman Dr Vikas Manan. “One of the major challenges working with EML-based designs is cross-talk and reflection-related issues due to impedance mismatch with the EML. ISG-D9616 takes care of both these issues, thus allowing better performance and ease of design,” he adds. “We are very excited to work with POET on their silicon optical interposer-based platform. The optical engines developed by POET offer customers a very compact and high-performance solution that is not easy to achieve with conventional EML-based designs.”
POET creates optical interposer platform for 1.6T transceivers using 200G-per-lane technology
