Month: June 2013

FiberStore news, when assembled eliminated pure handmade reliable optical components containing hundreds of optics, steering the occasion of silicon photonics technology, the industry will enter a new better world. On the other hand, switching network upgrade from 10G to 100G, even when eventually reach 1TB, will also face tough challenges from silicon photonics technology. Some optical function is easy to realize by silicon, but some are not. In fact, the entire optical engine must be integrated in silicon platform.

Optical engine can handle multiple high-speed electrical channels, converts it to optical signal, then together the information on these channels, through an fiber optic to transmit the information to any location ─ ─ distance from near to the next frame or as far as across the entire data center from the other end. At the receiving end, optical engine will flow received light streams separate into different channels, and then converted back to radio channel. In the data center, optical engine used for connecting the cluster switches and routers, which is a low power consumption, smallest pluggable transceiver technology; optical engine is also used in active optical cable to connect to the server and switch. In addition, the optical engine soon will also be embedded into the splint (mid-board) in order to reduce the consumption of board to board application and increase the density.

However, integrating optical functions on CMOS platform will encounter many challenges, which is original used to realize electric function design. Take a look at each key photoelectric function and the challenges of its fully integration in a CMOS platform.

Laser

Laser provides fiber optic light source for the optical engine, but to some data centers, using laser is too expensive. Kotura has developed chip function by using low-cost low-speed laser. Laser is a type of optical component which has not achieved single-chip integration, but the latest development of laser and array of flip chip bonding technology, have made it into a large number of low-cost manufacturing process. Chip functions removed the lens, isolator and beam collimator needed by traditional laser subassembly. The design of Kotura laser removed the expensive sealed package. In the automated assembly platform, just a few seconds for the array laser entire fabric and welded to silicon photonic chip, but also overcome the difficult problem of low-cost light source integrated in the chip.

The real value of fiber optic network is the ability to combine multiple wavelengths of light into one entity channel. To the 100G interconnection,the use of this called wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) parallelism, put the light combination of four wavelengths in a fiber. Of course, the four parallel fiber channel can work, but this increases the cost of network, but also a waste of bandwidth of fiber optic. WDM makes the use of same data center architecture to expend become possible, in order to support more channels in the future.

Because WDM requires both specific wavelength and multiplex wavelength laser, and therefore using silicon photonics to achieve is not easy. Nevertheless, the industry still don’t want to use the expensive specific wavelength laser, which is commonly used in telecommunications network. A better solution is to use a universal laser, through integration of optical switch reflector in the silicon chip changes universal laser into specific wavelength laser. By changing the position of the reflector, Kotura will make each gain chip becoming a unique specific wavelength laser.

Transmode Systems AB says unveiled its iAccess portfolio, which leverages its iWDM-PON offering to help service providers roll out Ethernet access networks for applications such as business Ethernet and mobile backhaul services.

The iAccess package combines a new compact, low-cost network interface (NID) with the company’s I-WDM – PON hardware and Enlighten multi-layer network management system to provide what Transmode asserts is a low-cost, simple to install/configure/manage, and highly scalable approach to last mile Ethernet applications. The systems use a “remote port” architecture which makes all NIDs into extensions of the Ethernet Muxponder to which they are connected.

With the remote port architecture, the NID automatically takes device and service configuration data from the network when it is connected. This removes the need for a separated IP address for each NID, saying these sometimes scare resources. Coupled with the colorless optical layer through the WDM-PON optics, iAccess creates a highly automated, simple to operate, and scalable system, according to Transmode. This is particularly true in comparison to other approaches that are either derived from more complex and expensive optical access platforms or are based on simple hardware designed for residential applications, the company adds.

The iAccess is thus ideally suited to the delivery of Ethernet-based services that need to scale to large volumes or where simplicity is key. Transmode continues. Installation procedures are quick and simple and Enlighten allows operators to create service templates to speed up deployment of multiple identical or similar services – enabling operators to minimize open costs in addition to the lower initial capex costs.

Sten Nordell, Transmode’s CTO, said, “The new iAccess solutions is a great step forward in terms of simplifying and scaling Ethernet access networks while also enabling network operators to hit the right price points for these high volume services. We have created a real plug-and-play solution where the WDM-PON enabled NID is simply connected to the access fiber, powered up and then services are automatically created. This enables operators to quickly roll out new services with the right level of carrier class functionality such as Metro Ethernet Forum Carrier Ethernet 2.0 services.”

Published by FiberStore, industry news – www.fiberstore.com

FiberStore news, with the rapid global deployment of FTTH, PON global market scale is constantly expanding, but the current PON market growth is beginning to slow down. In the recent “2013 China Optical Network Seminar”, Ovum principal analyst Julie Kunstler, said in an interview, during 2011-2012, the global GPON / EPON OLT has begun to decline in shipments, the total revenue of PON equipment market is also declined.

However, although the growth of entire PON market started to slow down or even a decline, but 10G PON market has begun to be favored. Julie Kunstler said that, although it is not completely sure which sort of next generation PON technology will become the mainstream in the future, but in Ovum’s expectations, the shipments of 10G EPON OLT will maintain a growth trend.

As for the Chinese broadband access market, Julie Kunstler believes that, due to the different wiring conditions of each region and each district, the future Chinese FTTx market penetration is expected to reach 40% -50%, the future will be a variety of access technologies co-exist, including PON, ADSL, VDSL, etc.

Julie Kunstler pointed out that, 2012 was the first year GPON OLT shipments beyond that of EPON, but the OLT total market has already begun to decline. Data show that, in the first quarter of 2013, EPON OLT shipments decreased 7%, compared to the same period down 46%; GPON OLT shipments decreased by 9%, an increase of 28%. In revenues, in the first quarter of 2013, EPON revenue decreased 25%, down 46%; GPON revenues decreased 29 percent, an increase of 3%.

Ovum predicts that, in the next few years, global GPON / EPON OLT shipments will further decline, it will be expected to from 41 million in 2012 decline to 13 million in 2018. At the same time, in 2012 GPON / EPON ONT / ONU’s shipments increased 43 percent compared to 2011, 2012 EPON ONT / ONU shipments still ahead of GPON ONT / ONU shipments, in 2013 GPON ONT/ONU shipments will just run after EPON.

Although entire PON market growth started to slow down or even a decline, but 10G PON market has begun to rise. Julie Kunstler said that, although what sort of future generation PON technology will become the mainstream is still not completely sure, but in Ovum’s expectations shipments of 10G EPON OLT will maintain a growth trend, and its application scenarios will be mainly reflected in FTTB, mobile backhaul, etc. Ovum forecasts, 10G EPON OLT’s shipments will maintain growth trend in 2018 will reach 500 thousand, 10G GPON OLT’s shipments will still be relatively small.

Underground fiber optic cables can be accidentally cut. The most typical factor which could cause this accident may be the utilization of backhoe while digging. If it happens to you, you can simply search for backhoe and obtain the cut cables.

However, if it is brought on by moles, it will likely be difficult for you to troubleshoot it. You will need some equipment to involve. Here are a few steps suggested for you.

The first thing you need to do is to look for the break in your cable. Commonly, the fiber-optic technicians utilize a device which is known as an optical time-domain reflectometer or OTDR. With the ability to work like radar which sends a light pulse right down to the cable. It will be deflected to your device when it encounters break. It helps technician knows the position of the break.

After knowing the location of the break, you should dig up the cable with the break. Then, strip the fiber around 9 feet of the cable using cable rip cord. Peel the jacket gently so the fiber-optic tubes exposed and get rid of the excess jacket. Then, clean that cable gel using cable gel remover and cut any sheath and yarn. Separate the tubes from the fiber. Avoid damaging the strength member as it is required to hold the cable in fiber splice closure.

The next matter you need to do is to expose fiber cladding at 2 inches by using a fiber-coating stripper oral appliance clean the fiber within the tubes. Trim any damage on the fiber ends using high-precision fiber cleaver. If you want to perform a fusion splice, you have to convey a fusion splice protector to the fiber. Hereafter, you have to clean that striped fiber using lint-free wipes that is soaked in alcohol. In addition, if you want to produce a mechanical connection, you need to put quick-connect fiber-optic connectors to the fiber and clean the stripped fiber with alcohol and lint-free wipes. Ensure that the fiber doesn’t touch anything.

If you make a fusion splice, you have to place the fibers which is spliced within the fusion splicer. Then, fire the fusion splicer in line with the manual. After that, you have to move the fusion connector right into a heat shrink oven. Press a button to heat shrink. In some cases, the fusion splice is preferable to mechanical splice because the signal loss is under 0.1 decibels (dB). However, the mechanical splice has signal loss under 0.5 dB. The very last thing would be to see the connection of fiber-optic using the OTDR. Then put back those splices in to the splice enclosure. Close the enclosure after which rebury the cable.

An optical attenuator is a device commonly used to lower the amount of power of an optical signal in a fiber optic communication system. In fiber optics, attenuation can also be called transmission loss. It’s the reduction in light signal intensity with regards to the distance traveled by the signal inside a transmission medium. Attenuation is an important element to limit the transmission of the digital signal driving considerable distances. Optical attenuator reduces this optical signal because it travels along a totally unoccupied space or perhaps an optical fiber.

Optical fiber attenuators may employ several principles when utilized in fiber optic communications. One common principle may be the gap loss principle. Attenuators by using this principle are responsive to the modal distribution ahead of the attenuator. Thus, they should be utilized at or close to the transmitting end. Otherwise, the attenuators could establish less loss than intended. This problem is avoided by attenuators which use absorptive or reflective principles.

You will find three basic types of optical attenuator: the fixed attenuator, step-wise attenuator and the continuously variable attenuator. Fixed attenuators reduce light signals by a specific amount of negligible or no reflection. Because signal reflection isn’t an issue, fixed attenuators are known for more accurate data transmission. Principal components associated with fixed attenuators include the flatness over a specified frequency, range, voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR), the quantity of attenuation, average and peak power-handling capability, performance over a specific temperature, size and height. Fixed attenuators are also often accustomed to enhance interstage matching in an electronic circuit. Thornton’s fixed attenuators can be found from 5 dB to 25 dB. Mini-Circuits’ fixed attenuators are packaged in rugged plug-in and connector models. They are available in both 50- and 76-ohm models which range from 1to 40 dB spanning DC to 1500 MHz.

In variable optical attenuators (VOA), resistors are replaced with solid state devices like the metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFETs) and PIN diodes. VOA attenuates light signal or beam inside a guarded manner. Thus producing an output optical beam with various attenuated intensity. The attenuator adjusts the ability ratio between your bright beam from the tool and the light beam entering the device over a changeable rate. VOA is usually used in fiber optic communication systems to manage optical power levels in order to prevent damages in optical receivers which may be due to irregular or fluctuating power levels. Price of commercial VOA varies depending on the manufacturing technology used.

Fiberstore claims that it is optical attenuator units produce precision amounts of attenuation, utilizing the added flexibility of adjustment. Fiberstore’s variable attenuators can be found in single mode and multi-mode versions. They have low insertion loss and back reflection. The attenuators will also be compact in dimensions and obtainable in multiple packaging options. These attenuators could be adjusted in milliseconds with a simple square wave bias between 0 and 10 volts.