- -3 December 2004 --

CIP's InP 10Gbs and 40Gbs modulators

The Centre for Integrated Photonics (CIP) has launched a range of electro-absorption modulators fabricated using InP. These are available in 40Gbit/s and 10Gbit/s versions for either single wavelength or DWDM communications applications or for application specific requirements.

The devices offer compelling advantages as building blocks for next-gen optical networks including low insertion loss, very small size, high bandwidth and low drive voltages.

CIP's comprehensive III-V semiconductor design and manufacturing services can also be used to produce variants of the device with application-specific characteristics to suit emerging system architecture requirements such as RZ (return-to-zero) data modulation and OTDM (optical time division multiplexing).

Key feature of CIP's EAM device design is low insertion loss. Figures of 4.5dB or 4dB typical for the 40Gbit/s and 10Gbit/s variants respectively provide good power margins for system design. This stems from novel structures employed in the devices including a buried heterostructure geometry.

The 40G-SR-EAM - offers a bandwidth of 32GHz typical for high-quality error-free transmission, and a drive voltage of just 2.9V. This compare well to those that can typically be achieved using modulators fabricated from lithium-niobate material but result in a dramatically smaller footprint.

CIP's low-chirp, InP device is very small, and is offered in a compact package with a K connector, or in chip-on-carrier form. Variants of 40G-SR-EAM are available for use in either the 1550nm or 1300nm wavelength bands.

The 10G-LR-EAM - offers a bandwidth of 10GHz minimum, and a drive voltage of 2.9V. This InP device is also offered in a compact package with K connector, or in chip-on-carrier form. It is suitable for 1550nm wavelength applications transmitting over uncompensated links up to 100km.

The new EAMs join a comprehensive range of compound-semiconductor device functions for optical networking developed over many years by the Centre for Integrated Photonics (CIP).

CIP has a long optoelectronics pedigree having previously been part of Corning, and prior to that British Telecom's Photonic Technology Research Centre. The organisation has its own fab and is able to create variants of the EAM devices with application-specific performance requirements.

Using CIP's significant capabilities in hybrid integration the EAM may also be integrated with additional optoelectronic elements such as lasers and amplifiers.

Datasheets from info@ciphotonics.com.