SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 -- Applied Optoelectronics Inc. (search for AOI), manufacturer of laser diodes, photodetectors, and optical modules for fiber-optic communications systems, this week announced a small form-factor pluggable transceiver designed for operation in colorless optical networking terminals (ONTs) used in WDM-PON (search for WDM-PON) networks.
The new transceiver incorporates a specially-designed laser diode that accepts an injection-locking signal from a transmitter in the headend portion of the WDM-PON. The transmission wavelength of the laser diode locks onto the wavelength of this locking signal. By utilizing this transceiver in the ONT, it is possible to design a single, "colorless" ONT that can operate at any wavelength needed in the upstream direction of the WDM-PON, explain AOI representatives.
The current device supports WDM-PON applications where the upstream signals are in the optical C-band (from 1533-nm to 1560-nm) and the downstream signals are in the optical L-band (from 1573-nm to 1600-nm).
The device is electrically hot-pluggable and communicates over the 2-wire serial interface as specified in the SFP Multi Source Agreement. Digital diagnostic monitoring is provided in compliance with SFF-8472.
The current devices operate at speeds up to 125 Mbits/sec and have fiber pigtails for flexible installation options within the ONT.
"AOI believes strongly in WDM-PON technology," reports Dr. Chau-Hong Kuo, transceiver product manager at AOI. "We believe that this new transceiver will A accelerate the development of this next-generation PON technology by allowing our equipment manufacturer customers to build their systems around a pluggable standards-based SFP solution."
Engineering samples of the new transceiver are expected to be offered commercially within eight weeks, with production availability in the first quarter of 2009.