EVENT FOCUS OFC WRAP
OFC 2021: WHERE THE INDUSTRY MET
Services highlighted its high-speed gold box offered by the PIXAPP Pilot Packaging Platform and other customized packaging solutions. MaxLinear showcases 5nm CMOS #800G PAM4 DSP implemented on #TSMC. VIAVI introduced the new ONT XPM Module, the industry’s 1st fully integrated test product for pluggable #800G transceivers based on 100G electrical lane speed and last but not least, OE Solutions announced its 400G QSFP-DD LR4 transceiver with 10km reach. The Open ROADM Demo demonstrated optical network equipment elements frommultiple suppliers that seamlessly interoperate at data rates up to 400G by means of the public OpenROADM MSA standards defined for both the optical data plane and control plane. Participants included AT&T, Ciena, Cisco, Fujitsu, Infinera, Juniper, Nokia, Orange, and Ribbon, together with the researchers at the OpNeAR laboratory at the University of Texas at Dallas.
communications. The courses, taught by highly regarded industry experts, covered a broad range of areas at various educational levels. Topics included Advanced FEC Techniques, Machine Learning in Optical Networks, Optoelectronic Devices for LIDAR, Optical Transport SDN, Silicon Photonics Circuit Design and more.
SPECIAL EVENTS
This year’s OFC special events schedule featured a Hackathon consisting of multiple interactive demos, Technology Showcases from leading industry brands, the OFC Media/Analyst Panel: Data Center Optics are Heading Toward Co-Packaged Optics: Why, How and When, with many more sessions available to all event registrants.
For 60 days following the show, OFC 2021 registrants can access the OFC Virtual Exhibition, view recorded sessions, including the OFC Media & Analyst panel on co- packaged optics, download technical papers and view the e-poster gallery. Also available are OFC Daily Analyst Briefings, which are available as a series of videos that highlight the industry’s hottest topics, OFC exhibitor announcements and the latest innovations that were presented by OFC exhibitors. One of the many highlights of the show was the Exhibitors Showcase. Some of the major announcements included came form companies such as Anritsu, which showcased its optical and digital data communications analysis solutions for evaluating #400G designs and beyond, including 400 Gbe testing with the #NetworkMasterPro MT1040. Corning launched its SMF-28 Contour optical fibre that conforms to ITU-T G.657. A2 and thus offers 10X the macrobend resilience of G.652.D fibres and seven times the macrobend resilience of G.657. A1 fibres. Fujitsu Optical Components Ltd. (FOC) introduced a 100-GBaud integrated coherent receiver (ICR) in support of coherent 800-Gbps optical transmission. Huber + Suhner introduced the world’s first miniature #optical WDM coupling module, patented all-optical switching technology and their comprehensive structured cabling portfolio. Infinera showcased industry- leading open optical solutions and next- gen pluggables that seamlessly address point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications from edge to core. Innolight Technologies demoed its 800G and 400G Coherent solutions. Lumentum introduces their new 400G CFP2-DCO coherent modules, enhanced PAM4 DMLs with 2 km reach for 400G+ applications, and expanded WSS capability. Photonics Manufacturing
RUMP SESSION – NRZ TO PAM4?
OFC once again featured the popular and thought-provoking Rump Session. This year’s session debated: “Did the Optics Industry Blunder by Switching Intra- Datacenter Links from NRZ to PAM4? Will More DSP like PAM6 and Coherent Follow, or Will WDM and Parallel Save the Day?”
PLENARY SESSION – LIVE Q&A
Immediately following the plenary talks on Tuesday 08 June 2021, each speaker participated in a live Q&A discussion on their ground-breaking initiatives: Nancy Shemwell, COO, Trilogy Networks, USA; Young-Kai Chen, programmanager, Microsystems Technology Office, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), USA; and Yiqun Cai, vice president, Alibaba Group, China. They joined OFC General Chairs Jun-ichi Kani, Po Dong and Chongjin Xie, OFC Program Chair Ramon Casellas, OSA Senior Industry Advisor Tom Hausken and OSA Science Advisor C. Randy Giles and registrants for in-depth discussions on the evolution of networking, photonics and AI and deployment of edge cloud for rural areas. Attendees were encouraged to pose their questions to the plenary speakers during this session. There’s no doubt whatsoever that OFC 2021 was an unqualified success, despite being virtual, but organisers hope that next year’s show will be back to being face-to-face, so don’t forget to save the Date for OFC 2022, which will take place on 6th – 10th March, 2022 in San Diego, California.
From Short Courses to special events, including a live media/analyst panel on co- packaged optics, and the dynamic Plenary program featuring a live Q&A Session with the speakers, OFC 2021 presented content, dialogue and debate covering the entire ecosystem for optical networking and connectivity. Sessions spanned topics including 400ZR, co-packaged optics, embedded optics, high-speed semiconductor lasers and modulators for data communications, next-gen optical interfaces, open technologies and architectures, silicon photonics, XR optics and more.
SHORT COURSES
This year, more than 50 Short Courses offered in-depth training on new products, game-changing technology and vital information at the forefront of
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| ISSUE 24 | Q2 2021
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