40 Gb/s Systems and Polarization Mode Dispersion: Technology and Marketing Issues

SUMMARY

OVERVIEW

The first version of this report was issued in 2004. Since then, the 40 Gb/s market is slowly moving ahead, still with an expectation of noticeable growth only in a few years.

The market is driven by Ethernet proliferation and commercialization of large routing platforms; a SONET/SDH part is still behind, and consists almost entirely of VSR applications.

In 2006, we saw some movement in the market, and major conventions in Europe and the U.S. demonstrated a presence of new and established players.

The report also updates information on the technologies and markets for PMD compensators. So far, we did not see too much activity in this area; some vendors dropped their products lines. Mechanical compensators are still dominating.

This report analyzes technological and marketing aspects of 40 Gb/s transmission and associated with such transmission Polarization Mode Dispersion harmful effect.

The report deals with a number of 40 Gb/s transmission issues, with the major emphasis on Polarization Mode Dispersion problems.

This report:

• Provides insight of 40 Gb/s systems technologies
• Shows their advantages and limitations
• Forecasts the 40 Gb/s systems market
• Compares features of the 40 Gb/s systems market players.
• Explains PMD nature
• Analyzes the dander of PMD to high-capacity and high-speed optical networks
• Researches various ways to cope with PMD
• Introduces technologies that are used in PMD compensators
• Compares these technologies
• Analyzes the PMDC market
• Compares portfolios of the major PMDC market players.
• Section 1 introduces a reader to the specifics of the report.
• Section 2 is devoted to the 40 Gb/s transport technologies; it shows their advantages and limitations.
• Section 3 analyzes PMD effect, its causes and nature.
• Section 4 details PMD compensation methods, techniques and provides their comparison.
• Section 5 is a marketing section for both 40 Gb/s transport and PMDC.
• Section 6 summarizes technical-economical characteristics of PMDCs.
• Section 7 analyzes portfolios of the PMDC vendors;
• Section 8 analyzes portfolios of the 40 Gb/s component vendors, and section 9 details portfolios of the 40 Gb/s platforms vendors.
• Section 10 is Conclusions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Introduction

• 1.1 Scope
• 1.2 Goal
• 1.3 Methodology
• 1.4 Audience
• 1.5 Importance

2.0 40 Gb/s Systems

• 2.1 General
• 2.2 Short History
• 2.3 Status
  • 2.3.1 Directions
  • 2.3.2 Specifics
• 2.4 Perspectives
• 2.5 Issues
  • 2.5.1 ICs
  • 2.5.2 Optics
  • 2.5.3 Standards
    • 2.5.3.1 Alliance
• 2.6 Applications

3.0 PMD Nature and Characteristics

• 3.1 Challenge
• 3.2 Effect
  • 3.2.1 Cause and Nature
  • 3.2.2 Statistics
  • 3.2.3 Penalties

4.0 PMD Compensation Methods and Associated Effects

• 4.1 Network Design
• 4.2 Compensation Techniques
  • 4.2.1 Optical Compensation
    • 4.2.1.1 Methods
    • 4.2.1.2 Classification Based on Order of Compensation
    • 4.2.1.3 Example
  • 4.2.2 Electronics Methods
  • 4.2.3 Mode Coupling ? Fiber Method
  • 4.2.4 Polarization Maintaining Fiber
  • 4.2.5 If PMD is not enough
  • 4.2.6 Standards

5.0 Market Estimate

• 5.1 Present Time
• 5.2 PMDC Market Drivers
  • 5.2.1 CAPEX Savings
  • 5.2.2 OPEX Savings
  • 5.2.3 Technological Factors
• 5.3 Market Forecast
  • 5.3.1 Model Assumptions
  • 5.3.2 Analysis
    • 5.3.2.1 Market estimate for 40 Gb/s Systems
    • 5.3.2.2 PMDC Market Forecast

6.0 Technical and economical PMDC Characteristics: Summary

7.0 PMDC Market Players

• Agere Systems
• Corning
• General Photonics
• Ipitek
• OZOPTICS

8.0 Manufactures: 40 Gb/s Components

• Agere Systems
• Applied Micro Circuits Corp. (AMCC)
• Advanced Photonix
• Avanex ( Acquired Alcatel Optronics)
• Bay Microsystems
• Big Bear (Acquired by Finisar)
• Centellax
• Core Optics
• Corning
• Covega
• IBM (in collaboration with Cisco)
• Inphi
• JDSU
• JGKB Photonics
• Hitachi
• Finisar
• MergeOptics
• Kailight Photonics
• KVH
• Oki Semiconductor
• Picometrix
• Primarion
• SMI
• T-Networks

9.0 Manufactures: 40 Gb/s Platforms

• Juniper
• Cisco
• Lucent
• Mintera
• StrataLight

10.0 Conclusions

• Figure 1: What is Happening at 40 Gb/s Transmission
• Figure 2: DGD Illustration
• Figure 3: 40Gb/s - Allowable PMD
• Figure 4: Receiver sensitivity Penalty (A=0.5)
• Figure 5: Receiver Sensitivity Penalty (A=0.3)
• Figure 6: Optical Adaptive PMDC
• Figure 7: Estimate of Telecommunications Spending (2003-beginning of 2004 )
• Figure 8: Illustration of PMDC Utilization Saving
• Figure 9: Estimate for 40 Gb/s Market ($M)
• Figure 10: PMDC Market Forecast ($M)
  • Equation 1: Receiver Sensitivity Penalties
    • Table 1: Routers
    • Table 2: PMDC Parameters