DECEMBER 9, 2008 -- Members of the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF; search for OIF) have fine-tuned the organization's Integrable Tunable Laser Assembly Multi-Source Agreement (ITLA-MSA) version 01.2. The new version of the ITLA-MSA offers "continued refinements, added features, and improved performance," according to the OIF. In addition, the OIF has created a next-generation tunable laser agreement, the Integrable Tunable Transmitter Assembly (ITTA), that leverages the ITLA platform.
The OIF's PLL Working Group has enhanced the ITLA-MSA to realize performance and cost improvements by optimizing the command set that enables the use of smaller, lower-power microprocessors and "leads the way in future size reduction of the ITLA." New features support applications requiring non-traffic-interrupting off-grid tuning as well as those requiring sub-tones for channel identification.
A project within the OIF Software Working Group has been created to work on interface testing to help ensure consistent software interface implementations across multiple ITLA vendors as well.
Meanwhile, the ITTA is a tunable laser integrated with a modulator encompassed by an electronics board containing the necessary laser and modulator control electronics. The ITTA uses an enhanced version of the ITLA's command interface that has been extended to include software control of the integrated modulator. The ITTA comes in two form-factors. One is similar in size to the ITLA; the other, a reduced size version, is compatible for use within a 300-pin SFF transponder.
The ITTA is designed for use in both 300-pin transponders as well as discrete line card applications. The ITTA agreement details a communication protocol, electrical interface, power supply, optical specifications, and a mechanical interface for use in telecommunications equipment operating in the C- or L-Band.
The OIF implementation agreements can be found as OIF-TL-01.1.pdf and OIF-TLMSA-01.0.pdf at the OIF's website.
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