GigOptix, Fraunhofer-HHI to co-develop polymer-based CFP transceivers

GigOptix, Inc. (NYSE MKT: GIG), a semiconductor and optical communications component supplier, and Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute, a leading polymer technology and communication systems research institute, have announced a strategic partnership to develop a reference platform for volume production of 100-Gbps pluggable CFP and CFP2 optical transceiver modules.

The production platform, which is aimed at 100-Gbps coherent telecom applications such as 100-Gbps DP-QPSK, will incorporate GigOptix’s active polymer modulator based on thin-film polymer-on-silicon (TFPS) technology.

The highly integrated CFP and CFP2 modules represent the next generation of system-in-package (SIP) optical transceivers, the company says. The modules will contain an integrated polymer transmit optical subassembly (TOSA), using the GigOptix TFPS modulator chip, and an integrated receive optical subassembly (ROSA). The integrated TOSA module will be available initially with GigOptix GX62455 100-Gbps quad driver with further integration plans in development.

“This partnership combines the best 100-Gbps polymer technology into CFP and CFP2 packages,” said Dr. Raluca Dinu, general manager and vice president of the optics product line at GigOptix, Inc. “The thin-film polymer-on-silicon technology that we have developed provides a foundation for smaller system-in-package optical transceivers. The combination of the tunable laser from Fraunhofer HHI, and the optical modulator from GigOptix, advances the next generation of optical transceiver SIPs based on our technology.”

“We believe that both the InP and the electro-optic polymer modulator technology will find their respective niches in the applications space,” said Dr. Martin Schell, department head photonic components of HHI. “Integration of GigOptix’s electro-optic polymer modulator together with HHI’s passive polymer toolbox functionalities in an industry standard module provides a compelling solution, both in terms of power and size. We feel that the partnership with GigOptix provides excellent optical synergy and represents the best path to commercialize our polymer technology.”

Ovum in its recent report on optical components stated that the 100-Gbps DWDM line side with tunable laser market will grow from 7,000 units in 2013 to over 53,000 units in 2017, representing a compound annual growth rate of 64%.

GigOptix is now shipping advanced engineering samples of its LX8240 polymer modulators for 100-Gbps coherent telecommunications for customer’s evaluation and qualification. Engineering samples of the GLX1000 are expected to be available as early as the first quarter of 2014.

The company has formed a fully owned subsidiary, GigOptix GmbH, as an integration center working closely with Fraunhofer HHI and other regional partners.

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