Nokia targets 400G era with PSE-V coherent DSP launch

Nokia has unveiled its latest coherent digital signal processor (DSP) family, its fifth-generation Photonic Service Engine dubbed the PSE-V. 

Kyle HollaschTwo devices make up the family: the high-end super coherent PSE-Vs and the compact PSE-Vc for use in pluggable modules.

The PSE-Vc chip is already sampling, the PSE-Vs will sample later this year. 

The PSE-Vs, operating at a 90 gigabaud (GBd) symbol rate, supports transmission distances from local data centres to ultra-long-haul and sub-sea networks while the 64GBd PSE-Vc implements the OIF’s 400ZR standard, ZR+ and beyond.

Nokia has also expanded its coherent optics strategy having completed the acquisition of Elenion Technologies. It is now vertically integrated and is offering coherent optics and its DSPs to partners that include module makers and contract manufacturers.

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Ranovus outlines its co-packaged optics plans

Part 2: Odin technology

Ranovus has tested a chiplet that combines electronics and silicon photonics. Dubbed Odin 8, the monolithic design is targetting the co-packaged optics opportunity, enabling silicon chips to communicate optically.

The company is developing two such chiplets: the 800-gigabit Odin 8 and the higher-capacity Odin 32 that supports 3.2 terabits of traffic. 

Hamid Arabzadeh 

The first use of Odin 8 will be for 800-gigabit client-side modules. “We already have three lead customers for our 800-gigabit module business,” says Hamid Arabzadeh, CEO of Ranovus.

The 800-gigabit pluggable modules using the Odin 8 are expected to be generally available from late 2021.

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Intel combines optics to its Tofino 2 switch chip

Part 1: Co-packaged Ethernet switch 

The advent of co-packaged optics has moved a step closer with Intel’s demonstration of a 12.8-terabit Ethernet switch chip with optical input-output (I/O).  

Source: Intel.

The design couples a Barefoot Tofino 2 switch chip to up to 16 optical ‘tiles’ - each tile, a 1.6-terabit silicon photonics die - for a total I/O of 25.6 terabits.

“It’s an easy upgrade to add our next-generation 25.6-terabit [switch chip] which is coming shortly,” says Ed Doe, Intel’s vice president, connectivity group, general manager, Barefoot division. 

Intel acquired switch-chip maker, Barefoot, seven months ago after which it started the co-packaging optics project.

Intel also revealed that it is in the process of qualifying four new optical transceivers - a 400Gbase-DR4, a 200-gigabit FR4, a 100-gigabit FR1 and a 100Gbase-LR4 - to add to its portfolio of 100-gigabit PSM4 and CWDM4 modules.

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Nokia buys Elenion for its expertise and partnerships

Nokia will become the latest systems vendor to bolster its silicon photonics expertise with the acquisition of Elenion Technologies. 

The deal for Elenion, a privately-held company, is expected to be completed this quarter, subject to regulatory approval. No fee has been disclosed.

Kyle Hollasch

“If you look at the vertically-integrated [systems] vendors, they captured the lion’s share of the optical coherent marketplace,” says Kyle Hollasch, director of optical networking product marketing at Nokia. “But the coherent marketplace is shifting to pluggables and it is shifting to more integration; we can’t afford to be left behind.”   

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Scintil Photonics looks to add light to silicon

It's the second day of Christmastide and Sylvie Menezo is working: “I enjoyed the last two days and now I'm back at work.” 

But then it should not be surprising given how Menezo is both the CEO and CTO of Scintil Photonics, the French start-up that secured €4.4 million in first-round funding last year.

Sylvia Menezo, Scintil Photonics

Origins 

Scintil Photonics’ expertise is in the design of silicon photonics circuits and the addition of active III-V materials - for lasing, gain and modulation - to a silicon substrate.  

The start-up is using its funding to move its technology from the lab to production, working with an unnamed commercial foundry. The firm is also growing its staff, from eight to a dozen by the year-end. 

Menezo worked previously at CEA-Leti, a French technology research institute, where her roles included heading the silicon photonics lab and business development.

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ADVA runs the rule over its TeraFlex platform

Gazettabyte talks to Jörg-Peter Elbers about the recent trial of ADVA’s FSP 3000 TeraFlex platform in Tele2’s network and gets his views on industry trends.

Herzliya marina. Source: Gazettabyte

It is early morning and the air is cool. I'm seated outside at a coffee bar in Herzliya’s marina awaiting Jörg-Peter Elbers, senior vice president, advanced technology, who is in Israel visiting local ADVA staff.   

He arrives as the bar opens and we are the only customers.

Just as we are about to start, the waitress informs us that the barista has yet to arrive. Breakfast can be ordered but we must wait for coffee. 

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Co-packaged optics to debut with 25.6 terabit switch chips

The second article in a series on co-packaged optics.

Part 2: Broadcom - a switch-chip vendor 

The hyperscalers require ever more switching capacity in their data centres to scale the applications they run. A hierarchy of connected switches fitted with optical interfaces is used to provide the pathways that link the tens of thousands of servers found in data centres.

Silicon vendors are responding to this need by doubling the capacity of their switch chips every two years. The largest switch chips have a 12.8-terabit capacity and the first 25.6-terabit devices are expected next year. This relentless pace, however, is one that the optical module makers are struggling to match. 

Source: Gazettabyte

“It is a problem for the optics industry,” says Robert Stone, Distinguished Engineer at leading switch chip player, Broadcom. “The cadence at which we can evolve silicon generally moves a lot faster than the optics guys can monetise a generation of investment, and then reinvest it.”

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