1,961 research outputs found
Photonic integration enabling new multiplexing concepts in optical board-to-board and rack-to-rack interconnects
New broadband applications are causing the datacenters to proliferate, raising the bar for higher interconnection speeds. So far, optical board-to-board and rack-to-rack interconnects relied primarily on low-cost commodity optical components assembled in a single package. Although this concept proved successful in the first generations of optical-interconnect modules, scalability is a daunting issue as signaling rates extend beyond 25 Gb/s. In this paper we present our work towards the development of two technology platforms for migration beyond Infiniband enhanced data rate (EDR), introducing new concepts in board-to-board and rack-to-rack interconnects.
The first platform is developed in the framework of MIRAGE European project and relies on proven VCSEL technology, exploiting the inherent cost, yield, reliability and power consumption advantages of VCSELs. Wavelength multiplexing, PAM-4 modulation and multi-core fiber (MCF) multiplexing are introduced by combining VCSELs with integrated Si and glass photonics as well as BiCMOS electronics. An in-plane MCF-to-SOI interface is demonstrated, allowing coupling from the MCF cores to 340x400 nm Si waveguides. Development of a low-power VCSEL driver with integrated feed-forward equalizer is reported, allowing PAM-4 modulation of a bandwidth-limited VCSEL beyond 25 Gbaud.
The second platform, developed within the frames of the European project PHOXTROT, considers the use of modulation formats of increased complexity in the context of optical interconnects. Powered by the evolution of DSP technology and towards an integration path between inter and intra datacenter traffic, this platform investigates optical interconnection system concepts capable to support 16QAM 40GBd data traffic, exploiting the advancements of silicon and polymer technologies
lOptical coupling structure made by imprinting between single-mode polymer waveguide and embedded VCSEL
Polymer-based integrated optics is attractive for inter-chip optical interconnection applications, for instance, for coupling photonic devices to fibers in high density packaging. In such a hybrid integration scheme, a key challenge is to achieve efficient optical coupling between the photonic chips and waveguides. With the single-mode polymer waveguides, the alignment tolerances become especially critical as compared to the typical accuracies of the patterning processes. We study novel techniques for such coupling requirements. In this paper, we present a waveguide-embedded micro-mirror structure, which can be aligned with high precision, even active alignment method is possible. The structure enables 90 degree bend coupling between a single-mode waveguide and a vertical-emitting/detecting chip, such as, a VCSEL or photodiode, which is embedded under the waveguide layer. Both the mirror structure and low-loss polymer waveguides are fabricated in a process based mainly on the direct-pattern UV nanoimprinting technology and on the use of UV-curable polymeric materials. Fabrication results of the coupling structure with waveguides are presented, and the critical alignment tolerances and manufacturability issues are discussed
To overcome the scalability limitation of passive optical interconnects in datacentres
We propose to add optical amplifier(s) to passive optical interconnect (POI) at top-of-rack in datacentres and validate this approach by introducing impairment constraints into POIs design. It is shown that one amplifier can improve scalability by a factor of 16
Optical Networks and Interconnects
The rapid evolution of communication technologies such as 5G and beyond, rely
on optical networks to support the challenging and ambitious requirements that
include both capacity and reliability. This chapter begins by giving an
overview of the evolution of optical access networks, focusing on Passive
Optical Networks (PONs). The development of the different PON standards and
requirements aiming at longer reach, higher client count and delivered
bandwidth are presented. PON virtualization is also introduced as the
flexibility enabler. Triggered by the increase of bandwidth supported by access
and aggregation network segments, core networks have also evolved, as presented
in the second part of the chapter. Scaling the physical infrastructure requires
high investment and hence, operators are considering alternatives to optimize
the use of the existing capacity. This chapter introduces different planning
problems such as Routing and Spectrum Assignment problems, placement problems
for regenerators and wavelength converters, and how to offer resilience to
different failures. An overview of control and management is also provided.
Moreover, motivated by the increasing importance of data storage and data
processing, this chapter also addresses different aspects of optical data
center interconnects. Data centers have become critical infrastructure to
operate any service. They are also forced to take advantage of optical
technology in order to keep up with the growing capacity demand and power
consumption. This chapter gives an overview of different optical data center
network architectures as well as some expected directions to improve the
resource utilization and increase the network capacity
Si3N4 photonic integration platform at 1 \ub5m for optical interconnects
Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) are the predominant technology for high-speed short-range interconnects in data centers. Most short-range interconnects rely on GaAs-based multi-mode VCSELs and multi-mode fiber links operating at 850 nm. Recently, GaAs-based high-speed single-mode VCSELs at wavelengths > 1 \ub5m have been demonstrated, which increases the interconnect reach using a single-mode fiber while maintaining low energy dissipation. If a suitable platform for passive wavelength- and space-multiplexing were developed in this wavelength range, this single-mode technology could deliver the multi-Tb/s interconnect capacity that will be required in future data centers. In this work, we show the first passive Si3N4 platform in the 1-\ub5m band (1030-1075 nm) with an equivalent loss < 0.3 dB/cm, which is compatible with the system requirements of high-capacity interconnects. The waveguide structure is optimized to achieve simultaneously single-mode operation and low bending radius, and we demonstrate a wide range of high-performance building blocks, including arrayed waveguide gratings, Mach-Zehnder interferometers, splitters and low-loss fiber interfaces. This technology could be instrumental in scaling up the capacity and reducing the footprint of VCSEL-based optical interconnects and, thanks to the broad transparency in the near-infrared and compatibility with the Yb fiber amplifier window, enabling new applications in other domains as optical microscopy and nonlinear optics
Exploiting AWG Free Spectral Range Periodicity in Distributed Multicast Architectures
Modular optical switch architectures combining wavelength routing based on
arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) devices and multicasting based on star couplers
hold promise for flexibly addressing the exponentially growing traffic demands
in a cost- and power-efficient fashion. In a default switching scenario, an
input port of the AWG is connected to an output port via a single wavelength.
This can severely limit the capacity between broadcast domains, resulting in
interdomain traffic switching bottlenecks. In this paper, we examine the
possibility of resolving capacity bottlenecks by exploiting multiple AWG free
spectral ranges (FSRs), i.e., setting up multiple parallel connections between
each pair of broadcast domains. To this end, we introduce a multi-FSR
scheduling algorithm for interconnecting broadcast domains by fairly
distributing the wavelength resources among them. We develop a general-purpose
analytical framework to study the blocking probabilities in a multistage
switching scenario and compare our results with Monte Carlo simulations. Our
study points to significant improvements with a moderate increase in the number
of FSRs. We show that an FSR count beyond four results in diminishing returns.
Furthermore, to investigate the trade-offs between the network- and
physical-layer effects, we conduct a cross-layer analysis, taking into account
pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) and rate-adaptive forward error correction
(FEC). We illustrate how the effective bit rate per port increases with an
increase in the number of FSRs. %We also look at the advantages of an
impairment-aware scheduling strategy in a multi-FSR switching scenario
WDM/TDM over Passive Optical Networks with Cascaded-AWGRs for Data Centers
Data centers based on Passive Optical Networks (PONs) can provide high
capacity, low cost, scalability, elasticity and high energy-efficiency. This
paper introduces the use of WDM-TDM multiple access in a PON-based data center
that offers multipath routing via two-tier cascaded Arrayed Waveguide Grating
Routers (AWGRs) to improve the utilization of resources. A Mixed Integer Linear
Programming (MILP) model is developed to optimize resource allocation while
considering multipath routing. The results show that all-to-all connectivity is
achieved in the architecture through the use of two different wavelength within
different time slots for the communication between racks in the same or
different cells, as well as with the OLT switches
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