Molex Fiber Optics has announced the development of its MuxLink line of WWDM (Wide Wavelength Division Multiplexed) transceivers. These transceivers are designed to meet the IEEE 802.3ae 10-Gigabit Ethernet 10GBASE-LX4 PMD (Physical Media Dependent sub-layer) standard. They are compliant with the XENPAK multi-source agreement that uses XAUI (10-Gigabit Attachment User Interface) electrical interface.
Molex's WWDM LX4 transceiver operates over both installed multimode and singlemode fiber.
Each MuxLink transceiver has four 3.125-Gbit/sec DFB lasers, which are optically multiplexed to give 10-Gbits/sec data throughput. "Since signal speed within the transceiver is maintained at 3.125 Gbits/sec, the electronics for 10GBASE-LX4 are simpler to implement than competing serial module implementations, which must drive a laser at 10.3 Gbits/sec," says John Dallesasse, group development manager at Molex Fiber Optics. "This allows the use of lower cost lasers and electronics and may enable operation at longer distances over singlemode fiber than 10GBASE-LR serial transceivers."
The MuxLink LX4 module is hot-pluggable and packaged in the industry standard XENPAK form factor. The optical interface for XENPAK is a duplex SC connector. Molex also offers the 70-position SMT Z-axis pluggable electrical host connector that supports the XAUI electrical interface.
Molex completed interoperability testing on MuxLink LX4 modules with Blaze Network Products and Pine Phototonics in September 2001, promoting multi-sourcing availability for the LX4 PMD.
Molex will be sampling MuxLink LX4 modules in this quarter. Volume production will be timed to meet market demand, which is expected in mid 2003. For more information on the Molex MuxLink, or other fiber-optic products, visit the company's Web site at
www.molex.com.