Serial Transponder Sets Sights On Short Reach Optical Interconnect Assignments

Designed for providing OC-192 very short reach (VSR), 10-Gb Ethernet, and proprietary backplane interconnects, this new 10-Gb/s, 850-nm serial transponder is said to be less expensive, require less than half the power, and take up less space than current alternatives, namely either 1310-nm serial or 850-nm parallel devices. Capable of providing interconnects of between 0 and 300 meters in length, the vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) device provides an interface between the OIF SFI-4 parallel interface at the framer and the multi-mode optical fiber. It accepts parallel signals, serializes the 16-bit word, and converts it into a single optical signal. The receiver recovers the serial data and clock from that signal and converts the bits back to parallel signals. The device's pin out and footprint conforms to the 200-pin Small Footprint OC-192 Transponder Multi Source agreement and is priced at under $2,000 in sample quantities. CIELO COMMUNICATIONS, Broomfield, CO. (303) 460-0700.