EFFECT Photonics verifies fully integrated InP PIC
EFFECT Photonics, a developer of highly integrated optical solutions, has announced the verification of its fully integrated tuneable laser InP-based Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC). The company describes this as the core enabler powering its digital Pico Integrated Tunable Laser Assembly (pITLA).
Tuneable lasers are a key component of coherent optical systems enabling Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM), which allows network operators to expand their network capacity without expanding the existing fibre infrastructure. With this milestone, EFFECT Photonics says its tuneable laser InP-based Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) has successfully passed a series of tests showing required performance items outlined by IEEE Std. 802.3-2022, 100GBASE-ZR.
According to the company, the core of its digital pITLA is a tuneable laser implemented fully as a monolithic integrated InP PIC, unlike other tuneable laser assemblies currently available. EFFECT Photonics says this offers advantages including the ability to achieve a compact footprint, higher assembly yields, and ease of integration into pluggable form factors. The company also says the InP PIC is the only solution to integrate the gain section, laser cavity, optical amplifier, and wavelength locker into one chip. By incorporating these functions on a single chip and including the control functions in the assembly, the user can easily communicate and control the laser by simply providing digital commands.
“In the last decade, the industry has made impressive strides in reducing the size of crucial coherent optical functions, making way for digital coherent modules,” said Roberto Marcoccia, EFFECT Photonics’ CEO. “EFFECT Photonics pITLA sets a new precedent in photonic integration by eliminating the need for external micro-optics for control of tuneable lasers. Our monolithic approach maintains all vital functions while drastically reducing the device’s overall size to a smaller form factor previously unattainable.”
EFFECT Photonics says the integrated InP PIC is the foundation of its new pITLA, and is purposefully designed to simplify the design of small form factor pluggables, with the aim of providing an outstanding blend of power, cost-effectiveness, and compactness. The company hopes it will pave the way for the effortless and cost-efficient design of coherent pluggables, opening up new possibilities for the industry.
