Avago Technologies offers high-density 120 Gbps parallel optical modules

Avago has announced the availability of production volumes of 120 Gbps multichannel optical transmitter and receiver modules for "inside-the-box" data-center applications and a CXP pluggable transceiver for board-edge "box-to-box" and "rack-to-rack" communications. Driven by the demand for online media and applications in a cloud computing environment, the modules are suitable for communications within data centers, server farms, network switches, telecom switching centers and many other high-performance embedded applications that require high-speed data transfers. System applications include data aggregation, backplane communications, proprietary protocol data transfers, and other high-density high-bandwidth applications. The stand-alone MiniPOD transmit and receive modules—the AFBR-81uVxyZ and AFBR-82uVxyZ, respectively, each contain 12 unidirectional channels (lanes) that can each transfer data at 10.3125 Gbps using 64b/66b encoding for an aggregate data rate of 120 Gbps for each module. The CXP pluggable edge-mount transceiver module (AFBR-83PDZ) is an integrated transceiver that contains 12 transmit and 12 receive lanes that operate at the same data transfer rates as the MiniPOD modules. The modules deliver 36 times the density of standard SFP+ modules. For users needing a pluggable formfactor, the CXP transceivers less expensive per 10 Gbps lane than pluggable SFP+ modules. Both MiniPOD and CXP modules operate at 25% the power per 10Gbps lane that SFP+ modules require. In addition, the MiniPOD and CXP modules offer superior jitter performance, high signal integrity, and low EMI emissions. The MiniPOD optical modules and CXP transceiver can transmit data up to 100 meters using OM3 fiber, and up to 150 meters using OM4-grade fiber. All the optical components are compliant to 802.2ba (100GBASE-SR10 and nPPI) as well as the QDR Infiniband standard. The modules use Avago VCSEL laser arrays operating at 850 nm for the transmitters and the company's PIN diode array for the receivers. The MiniPOD modules are available in two package options to support either flat ribbon or round fiber jumper cables. For designers interested in evaluating the CXP transceiver module, an evaluation board (AFBR-83EVK) is available. In addition, an evaluation board for the MiniPOD modules (AFBR-800EVK) is also available. www.avagotech.com/fiber