Santur 10X10 MSA 100-Gbps CFP optical modules now generally available

Santur announced the general availability of its 100-Gbps CFP optical modules compliant with 10X10 Multi-Source Agreement (MSA). The 10X10 MSA, driven largely by Google, aims to create a lower-cost, more easily developed alternative to the IEEE’s 100GBase-LR4 optical module for singlemode high-end data center applications (see “Google joins tech vendors in 10x10G 100 Gbps optical transceiver multi-source agreement”).

As called out in the 10X10 MSA, the CFP module supports 2-km reach over singlemode fiber, placing it between the 100-m multimode 100GBase-SR10 and 10-km 100GBase-LR4. Because it does not use the 25-Gbps optics or electronics of the latter module, the 10X10 MSA device offers lower cost and obviates the need for such components as gearbox ICs, Santur points out. As a result, Santur says that it will offer volume production pricing of less than $5,000 for 100 units or more. The devices also will feature a maximum power dissipation of 13 W.

Santur says it has leveraged its expertise in creating array-based tunable lasers in creating the new optical module. “For more than 20 years, we have been discussing the possibility of integrating multiple active optical components on a single chip to reduce cost and power. Over time, several companies have tried but none offered such high level of integration that allowed us to meet our cost and power targets,” said Paul Meissner, oresident and CEO of Santur. “The hybrid integration platform scales to higher data rates and wider WDM lanes to create many product variants based on a common architecture targeted at cost effectively meeting the needs to expand the global Internet infrastructure.”

While other module vendors have expressed support for the 10X10 MSA, including JDSU, Oplink, and Source Photonics, Santur is the first such supplier to offer the module in volume. (For more on 10X10 MSA module sourcing, see “The 10X10 MSA conundrum.”)

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