Rockley Photonics demos co-packaged optics OptoASIC Switch system with multiple partners
Rockley Photonics says it has launched demonstrations of a 25.6-Tbps OptoASIC Switch system enable via cooperation with several partners. The OptoASIC Switch leverages the company’s LightDriver Optical Engine and copper-cable-attached 400G modules alongside technology from Accton, Molex, TE Connectivity, and what Rockley described as “other leading industry partners.”
The company says its LightDriver technology is scalable from 0.8 to 3.2 Tbps using 100G PAM4 signaling. Thus the OptoASIC Switch system platform is scalable from the current 25.6 Tbps to 51.2 Tbps and higher. In addition to the silicon photonics enabled LightDriver, the platform features:
- A customizable ratio of LightDriver engine and copper cable attached modules
- An external laser light source in front panel pluggable QSFP-DD modules
- Copper “solutions” from Molex BiPass and Samtec Si-FLY
- Conventional and fine-pitch CP sockets from TE Connectivity.
Accton, meanwhile, is contributing its design and production expertise. The company integrated the MAC ASIC, optical engine, and copper connectors within a Kyocera substrate, which is connected by an XLA socket from TE Connectivity. The demonstration switch platform also leverages Vicor’s vertical power GCM device.
“We are very pleased to have partnered with such a strong team in the hyper scale data center connectivity space to bring about this solution,” said Andrew Rickman, chief executive, Rockley Photonics. “For co-packaged optics to become a reality it will take a strong and collaborative ecosystem. The partnership demonstrated by Rockley, Accton, Molex and TE we believe is a significant steppingstone towards delivering high performance and cost-effective optics for hyperscale data center connectivity.”
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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