ClariPhy samples LightSpeed-II SoC for single-carrier coherent 200G

Communications system-on-a-chip (SoC) developer ClariPhy Communications Inc. says that the 200-Gbps member of its LightSpeed-II family of devices is now sampling. The LightSpeed-II CL20010 will support single-carrier 200-Gbps transmission via 16-QAM modulation; two devices can be used to support dual-carrier 400G superchannels on 75-GHz DWDM grid spacing. ClariPhy describes the CL20010 as a single-chip OTN muxponder that can multiplex two independent 100G client signals (either OTU4 or 100 Gigabit Ethernet) onto a single DWDM wavelength. In addition to the muxponding capability, the device features soft-decision forward error correction (SD-FEC), digital transmit filtering that supports flexible-grid DWDM applications, and the carrier recovery necessary to support 16-QAM modulation. The device also will support 100-Gbps transmission via QPSK with what the company asserts is “industry leading OSNR performance.” The device should support reaches exceeding 600 km when using 16-QAM for 200G or 400G transmission and 3500 km when transmitting 100G, according to the company. ClariPhy took the wraps off the LightSpeed-II portfolio last month (see “ClariPhy LightSpeed-II coherent SoC for 100G, 200G, 400G nears sampling”). Company co-founder and chief strategy officer Paul Voois says that customers are already using samples of the CL20010 in a variety of applications, from metro to submarine, including the construction of line cards to support 400G muxponding. He also believes the device will be used with the emerging generation of coherent-compatible CFP2 optical transceivers (see, for example, “Oclaro readies 100G coherent CFP2 for sampling”). Voois allowed that the challenge of integrating devices such as the CL20010 into modules with the space and power limitations of the CFP2 is extreme. Therefore, he doesn’t expect module vendors to integrate the CL20010 into their transceivers. ClariPhy has been preparing for the launch of the CL20010 for some time. For example, it announced a 200G reference design at ECOC 2013 (see “ClariPhy partners for 200G coherent optical reference design”). Voois says the device will not only reach production by the end of the year, but should reach the field based on the schedules of some of ClariPhy’s more aggressive customers. For more information on communications ICs and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.