120 Gb/s Error-Free Data Transmission Test Equipment for Optical Links
Abstract
The exponential increase in communications bandwidth is propelled by application demands in high performance computing (HPC) and video streaming. Also, social media has opened up new frontiers of cloud computing, data mining and remote applications that will transform the landscape of the internet. Massive datacenters house exabytes of information and it is predicted that datacenter bandwidth will have a CAGR of over 30% for the foreseeable future. Optical interconnects based on multi-mode fibers (MMFs) and 850 nm Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs) have become an industry standard in datacom applications and been developed towards higher speed, such as 100 Gb/s (4 x 25Gb/s) active optical cable (AOC). In 2014, Professor Milton Feng at the University of Illinois led oxide VCSEL research in USA and demonstrated 40 Gb/s error-free (BER < 10-12) transmission and ultralow laser relative intensity noise (RIN) reaching the Òstandard quantum limitÓ. In 2016, FengÕs HSIC group became the world leader in VCSEL research by demonstrated record performance of 57 Gb/s error-free transmission at 25 ?C and new record of 50 Gb/s error-free transmission at 85 ?C. However, we believe the record performance of 57 G b/s VCSELs are bit error ratio testing BERT instrument limited. Furthermore, the speed performance of VCSELs is fundamentally limited by the nanoseconds recombination lifetime. In 2004, the HSIC demonstrated the novel three-terminal edge emitter transistor laser (TL) with ultrafast picosecond recombination lifetime and furthermore, in 2013, the first low threshold selective oxide-confined vertical cavity transistor laser (VCTL). We believe the VCTL can exceed the speed limitation of VCSELs due to its fast recombination lifetime nature of transistor and high Q cavity (low threshold) vertical DBR mirror structure. The design and fabrication experience of developing high speed and low noise VCSEL paves the way for the next generation VCTL based high speed optical interconnects and photonic integrated circuits. To further develop our high speed (~ 100 Gb/s) and low-RIN laser devices in optical interconnect and RF photonics applications, we will need to upgrade our BERT system to even higher speed and improve our measurement capability of electrical spectrum analysis and linearity measurement. We are proposing to purchase upgrade components to our 100 Gb/s BERT testing system: SHF 603A 120 Gb/s 2:1 MUX, SHF 120 Gb/s 1:2 deMUX, SHF 2856 frequency doubler, SHF 65BT 65 GHz bias tee and GGB 67A 67 GHz GSG picoprobes. For high performance noise and signal mixing characterization, we propose to purchase a Keysight N9030B spectrum analyzer with options for noise floor reduction and noise figure measurement. The proposed equipment will extend our high speed optoelectronic device characterization capability and push forward research progress for future microwave photonic links. With careful operation and maintenance the estimated useful life of the equipment will be > 10 years.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Oct 22, 2018
- Source ID
- W911NF1710290
Entities
People
- Milton Feng
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- United States Army
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign