Compact and high-sensitivity 100-Gb/s (4 × 25 Gb/s) APD-ROSA with a LAN-WDM PLC demultiplexer

Area of Science:

• Photonics and Optical Communications
• Integrated Optics
• Semiconductor Devices

Background:

• High-speed optical communication systems require sensitive and efficient receiver modules.
• Existing receiver optical sub-assemblies (ROSAs) face limitations in sensitivity and transmission distance.
• The demand for 100 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) is rapidly increasing, driving the need for advanced optical components.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate an integrated 100 GbE ROSA with enhanced performance.
• To achieve high receiver sensitivity and long-distance transmission capabilities.
• To reduce the need for optical amplifiers in 50-km single-mode fiber (SMF) links.

Main Methods:

• Integration of a monolithic four-channel avalanche photodiode (APD) array.
• Utilizing a planar lightwave circuit (PLC) based LAN-WDM demultiplexer.
• Testing the performance of the integrated ROSA in a 100 GbE system over SMF.

Main Results:

• Achieved a record minimum receiver sensitivity of -20 dBm.
• Demonstrated error-free transmission over 50-km of SMF.
• Successfully operated without the need for an optical amplifier.

Conclusions:

• The integrated 100 GbE ROSA offers superior sensitivity and transmission performance.
• This technology enables cost-effective and efficient long-reach optical networks.
• The developed ROSA represents a significant advancement in high-speed optical communication components.