VI Systems patents parallel optics assembly

Optical components developer VI Systems GmbH says the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a Notice of Allowance for a patent that applies to the company's work in parallel optics assemblies. "Opto-electronic assembly for high speed transmission," filed under application number US 13/846,392, covers optoelectronic assemblies for high-speed signal transmission based on surface-emitting and receiving components that can be used in parallel optics applications.

The parallel optics assemblies leverage VI Systems' ultra-high-speed vertical cavity surface emitting laser (VCSEL) technology. The configuration now under patent contains a micro-assembly that combines high frequency performance and chip-scale micro-optics as optical engine for parallel transceivers or active optical cables, the company states.

VI Systems sees opportunities for the technology in short-reach communication applications, particularly those based on IEEE 802.3bm 100 Gigabit Ethernet and upcoming IEEE P802.3bs 400 Gigabit Ethernet. 128G Fibre Channel and embedded optics offer other opportunities within data communication systems, the company believes.

The company already offers testboards for 100-Gbps and 400-Gbps parallel optics data links based on 25-Gbps line rates. It also offers its VCSELs at 850-nm as bare die chips or as fiber-coupled test modules. Single-channel fiber-optic transmitter and receiver modules also are available for data rates of up to 50 Gbps.

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