Optical Networking: Lucent Technologies Announces Optical Transponder Module in Miniature Package for High-Speed Optical Networking Systems - Product Announcement

EDGE, On & About AT&T, March 8, 1999

Lucent Technologies' Microelectronics Group has announced a family of high-speed optical transceiver modules that combine up to 15 optical and electrical devices into one module approximately 3.5 x 2.5 inches -- the industry's largest number of components to be housed in such a small package. The company also announced the opening of an optoelectronics products design and development center in Huntington Beach, Calif.

Called TransLight transponders, the family consists of two modules that transmit and receive optical signals in high-speed optical networking communications systems. In addition, the first module also multiplexes and demultiplexes electrical signals, while the second module converts optical signals from one wavelength to another -- a function used in dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) systems. The devices will significantly reduce the time it takes transmission systems manufacturers to design high-speed optical network transmission systems.

Using Bell Labs flip-chip packaging processes, each transponder integrates a transmitter, receiver, and up to 15 individual integrated circuits (ICs) onto the same physical package. This significantly reduces system costs, and power consumption and increases port densities by as much as 50 percent. Lucent's transponder and portfolio of optoelectronic devices are being demonstrated here at the Optical Fiber Communications (OFC) conference in booth 1401.

"To keep pace with the insatiable appetite for more network bandwidth, communications systems manufacturers are demanding more systems-level capabilities from optoelectronic components," said Dan DiLeo, vice president of the optoelectronics components strategic business unit of Lucent's Microelectronics Group. "In response to that demand, we will continue to focus development on next-generation integrated optical networking solutions using 10 gigabit-per-second devices and beyond. Our new design and development center in Huntington Beach will be the driving force that will enable us to bring the latest in integrated designs to our customers quickly."

The design and development center will become a center of excellence for the transponders and next-generation of integrated optoelectronic components. Sung-Joon Kim, manager of integrated network modules, will head the design center, which is expected to create a number of new design and marketing engineering positions in the local area.

"Southern California is a hotbed of high-tech optical and RF design and development from some of the world's leading communications systems companies and academic institutions," said Kim. "Our proximity to the area's fast- growing data networking companies, will allow us to work closely with our customers as we help them significantly reduce their design cycles and system costs."

The transponders provide the electrical and optical interfaces required between the SONET/SDH photonic physical layer and the electrical section layer of the network. The modules contain a 2.5 gigabit-per-second (G/bs) optical transmitter and a 2.5 Gb/s optical receiver in the same physical package. Clock synthesis and clock recovery circuits are also included within the modules. A common package pinout provides for convenient upgrades from short- reach (2 km) to intermediate-reach (15 km) to long-reach (40 km) applications.

The transponders interface directly with Lucent's transmission data (TDAT) SONET/SDH ICs to form a complete line card solution from the optical fiber to the equipment backplane. Recently introduced, the chips transmit data using multiple network protocols at OC3, OC12 and OC48 data rates and are the industry's first chips to support the new simplified data link (SDL) or direct data-over-fiber operation.

Early samples of the transponder family will be available by the second quarter of this year, and volume quantities are expected to be available by the third quarter.

The Microelectronics Group's optoelectronics components strategic business unit is the leading worldwide supplier of optoelectronic components for telecommunications applications. It offers the industry a broad portfolio of optoelectronic components including analog and digital lasers, photodetectors, transceivers and fiber amplifiers in the telecommunications, CATV, data communications, and undersea markets.

Lucent Technologies designs, builds and delivers a wide range of public and private networks, communications systems and software, data networking systems, business telephone systems and microelectronics components. Bell Laboratories is the research and development arm for the company. For more information on Lucent Technologies, headquartered in Murray Hill, N.J., USA, visit its web site at http://www.lucent.com.

Lucent's Microelectronics Group designs and manufactures integrated circuits and optoelectronic components for the computer and communications industries. More information about the Microelectronics Group is available from its web site at http://www.lucent.com/micro.>

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