II-VI Introduces 56 Gb/s PAM4 VCSEL Arrays
Addresses the need for 400 Gigabit Ethernet short reach transceivers and active optical cables in data centres
Optical component firm II‐VI has introduced its 56 Gb/s PAM4 VCSEL arrays for 400 gigabit Ethernet (GbE) short reach transceivers and active optical cables (AOCs) deployed in data centres.
The availability of Ethernet equipment with greater than 12 Tb/s of switching capacity enables hyperscale data centres to accelerate the migration from 100 to 400 GbE transmission. II-VI’s 8-element VCSEL arrays can be modulated at 56 Gb/s using 4-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM4) to achieve a combined 400 Gb/s over short reach multimode links.
“Customers come to II-VI because of our ability to deliver differentiated VCSEL technology without ever compromising on reliability,” said Karlheinz Gulden, general manager, II-VI Laser Enterprise. “Our new 56 Gb/s PAM4 VCSEL arrays represent the leading edge in VCSEL technology for AOCs and transceivers, which are in high demand in data centres for server to server connectivity.”
AOCs and transceivers based on VCSELs offer the most cost effective solution for datacenter links that span from 10 to 300 meters. They enable new applications in consumer electronics to connect ultrathin HDTV screens to remotely located driver electronics. The demand for VCSELs is expected to accelerate, driven by a growing number of 3D sensing applications in automotive and consumer electronics.
