TeraConnect Inc. has announced two new optical interconnect products. The new TeraLink-48 optical link increases data throughput to more than 150 Gbits/sec at 3.2 Gbits/sec per channel, one-third more than current levels, claim company representatives. TeraConnect's new TeraLink-24 supports data-communications at 75 Gbits/sec at 3.2 Gbits/sec per channel.
"OEMs are pushing towards interconnect schemes with more density," contends Stephen Montgomery, president of ElectroniCast Corp. (San Mateo, CA). "TeraConnect has been leading the charge with their 48 channel T-48. These TeraLink products are a nice addition to their offering. Having both a TeraLink-24 and TeraLink-48 opens the door to more applications and a broader market," he adds.
According to the company, it's fiber-optic interconnects, featuring 48 and 24 electro-optical data channels, are the densest interconnects available in the industry today. Compared to other interconnects with 1 x 12 channel arrays that yield a total 30 Gbits/sec at 2.5 Gbits/sec per channel, TeraConnect's TeraLink-48 offers five times the interconnect capacity to support an aggregate of more than 150 Gbits/sec, say company representatives. With the exponential surge in bandwidth and communication transport speeds, TeraConnect's devices help data-communications and telecommunications systems designers eliminate throughput bottlenecks, deliver faster speeds and higher volumes of data, while reducing power consumption, panel space, and the cost of
optical-electrical-optical conversion.
The TeraLink optical interconnect modules are based on TeraConnect's proprietary 2DOE technology, which leverages large arrays of active optical devices directly hybridized to high speed Silicon Germanium ASICs. Key benefits of this approach include improved signal integrity, higher signal density, and lower manufacturing costs. The VCSEL (Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser)-based transmit modules operate at 850 nm over 48 channels--each operating at a rate of 3.2 Gbits/sec or higher while maintaining less than 10-12 bit error rates.
The TeraConnect TeraLink interconnects are available today. In volume production, TeraLink 48-channel modules are available for less than $1,200--the lowest cost fiber- optic interconnect module in terms of dollars per gigabit per second, says the company. The TeraLink 24-channel modules are available for less than $700 in volume quantity.
Launched in the fourth quarter of 2000, Nashua, New Hampshire-based TeraConnect provides high performance, two-dimensional opto-electronic (2DOE) components for the high-speed router, server, and telecommunications infrastructure markets. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.teraconnect.com.