NEC expands 100Gb/s optical transceiver range with 80km BiDi model

In recent years, the widespread adoption of AI and video distribution services has led to a significant increase in data traffic, driving up the demand for optical transceivers that connect data centres. At the same time, there is an ongoing challenge to reduce the overall power consumption, latency, and cost of these systems in response to the growing data traffic.

This optical transceiver enables high-capacity communication over distances of up to 80 km using a direct detection method, rather than a coherent method. It also supports bi-directional communication over a single fibre, allowing for low-power consumption, low-latency, and low-cost direct connections between data centres. This contributes to reducing the power consumption, latency, and cost of the entire optical network system.

Key features of the new product include:

1. Cost Efficiency
   Traditionally, two fibres were required for 100Gb/s transmission. However, a compact filter has been developed that combines and separates the transmission and reception wavelengths, enabling bi-directional transmission over a single fibre by wavelength multiplexing with different wavelengths for upstream and downstream. By reducing the number of fibres used, procurement and rental costs can be reduced, making it possible to build a cost-efficient network.

2. High-Quality Long-Distance Transmission
   The inclusion of a high-output laser on the transmitting side and an optical semiconductor amplifier on the receiving side ensures the required link budget (*) of 30dB for 80km transmission, delivering high-quality transmission. Additionally, NEC provides products that support not only the Ethernet signal rate (103Gb/s) but also the OTU4 signal rate (111.8Gb/s).

3. Compatibility with Existing Devices
   The electrical interface is the same as that of conventional 100G QSFP28 products, with a power consumption specification of 5.5W or less, making it easy to integrate into existing QSFP28 ports. Moreover, by using a direct detection method, this product achieves lower latency and cost compared to coherent methods.