Breakthrough Innovation in Multi-discipline Opto-electronic R&D
The Optical Innovation Center (OIC) comprises a world-class team of scientists and engineers with a proven track record of delivering game-changing advanced optical solutions. A highly vertically integrated organization, the OIC takes innovative solutions from conception to development to production.
The OIC has a long history of industry firsts, including the first large-scale PIC, the first coherent PIC, the first commercial super-channels, the first Nyquist subcarriers, and the first point-to-multipoint coherent technology. Additional OIC innovation highlights include SD-FEC gain sharing, long-codeword probabilistic constellation shaping (LC-PCS), and dynamic bandwidth allocation (DBA).
Infinera Optical Innovation Center Core Disciplines
Core OIC disciplines include coherent ASIC/DSP design, photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design and manufacturing, analog ASIC design, advanced packaging design and manufacturing, and holistic co-design, including the RF interconnect. Developing all these component technologies in-house, as well as packaging them into the final module in-house, ensures that industry-leading performance and capabilities can be delivered in the final products.
Infinera ICE6 and XR Optics Innovation Recognized by Lightwave
Building on the achievements of our Optical Innovation Center, Infinera is honored to be recognized by Lightwave as part of their 2021 Innovation Reviews. With distinguished scores of 4.5 out of 5 from an independent industry panel, both ICE6 and XR optics stood out in the Optical Transport Systems category, reinforcing our industry leadership and track record of best-in-class innovation.
Highlights
ASIC/DSP Design
The ASIC/DSP plays a critical role in coherent transceivers. In addition to coherent signal processing, it is responsible for advanced functions such as Nyquist subcarriers, probabilistic constellation shaping, SD-FEC gain sharing, and dynamic bandwidth allocation. The OIC has been responsible for multiple generations of ASIC/DSP, including for ICE4 and ICE6.
PIC Design/Manufacture
Infinera pioneered photonic integration with the industry’s first large-scale PIC in 2005. Leveraging high-performance InP, Infinera’s PICs reduce cost, footprint, and power consumption while improving performance and reliability. In addition, Infinera has invested heavily to build its own state-of-the-art indium phosphide PIC fab.
Analog Electronics Design
Coherent transceivers require high-performance analog electronics. These include drivers that convert the low voltages from the ASIC/DSP to the higher voltages required by modulators, as well as transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) that convert current from the photodetectors to the voltages required by the ASIC/DSP.
Advanced Packaging and Holistic Co-design
An additional area of OIC expertise is the packaging of coherent transceivers leveraging the latest materials, design methodologies, and manufacturing techniques. And with everything designed in-house, holistic co-design optimizes any trade-offs in order to maximize performance.
White Paper
The Advantages of Indium Phosphide Photonic Integration in High-performance Coherent Optics
With superior performance, smaller form factors, and lower power consumption, highly integrated indium phosphide PICs are a key enabler for high-end coherent transceivers.
Featured Innovations
ICE6
XR Optics
PICs
Nyquist Subcarriers
ICE4
LC-PCS
Related Resources
Brochure
Optical Innovation Center
White Paper
Pluggables, Embeddeds, and the Three Vectors of Coherent Evolution
Press Release
Infinera Breaks Industry Record with 800G Transmission over 950 Kilometers in a Live Network Trial
Brochure
ICE6 Optical Engine - Minimize Total Cost of Ownership with 800G Generation Coherent
Press Release
Infinera and Corning Achieve 800G Across 800 Kilometers with ICE6
Solution Brief
XR Optics: Innovative Point-to-Multipoint Coherent that Slashes Aggregation Network TCO
Webinar
XR Optics – The Role of Coherent Subcarrier Aggregation in Next-Generation Aggregation Network Architectures
Video
800G: Getting More Capacity Over Longer Distances
Blog
Happy Birthday, Harry Nyquist
Infographic
History of Opto-electronic Innovation
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