Subject: Re: [pafiber] Correction: [pafiber] IBM announcement

From: "Jeff Hoel" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2007 15:23:13 -0600

Re Colin's message of 3-27-07, 13:14:

>Sanford, Andy (et al)
>
>I fear you have been suckered by a mischaracterization of the technology 
>and missed the point.
>
>IBM announced a chip with an optical output (and input?) interface.
>
>Although it might someday be used to support network outputs, the most 
>obvious application of this new technology is chip-to-chip communication. 
>Since chips do not operate in isolation, a chip can't output data faster 
>than it can acquire it from other chips (e.g. memory) on the Printed 
>Circuit Board.
>
>Computer performance is limited by chip-to-chip signalling clock rate, 
>which has been stalled at <4Gbps for several years. . Actually, it is very 
>difficult to move electronic signals across printed circuit boards at clock 
>speeds >1Gbps; today it is done with SERDES (serializer-deserializer) 
>technology which is very power-hungry and running out of technical steam. 
>Chip-to-chip optical interfaces are one solution to this problem, but they 
>require a revolution in PCB design and construction. Copper-based high 
>speed signalling solutions exist (see www.siliconpipe.com) but 
>manufacturers (both component and system) have been slow to explore this 
>approach.
>
>Colin

This IBM paper emphasizes rack-to-rack and shorter connections:
<http://www.zurich.ibm.com/pdf/sys/berger_proc_spie_4942_pp222-235_2003.pdf>

But I don't think it's incorrect to consider first-mile applications,
too, is it?

Earlier this year I researched Luxtera.  Please see below the "==="
line.

This IBM newsletter mentions Luxtera:
<http://www-128.ibm.com/developerworks/library/pa-nl6-calendar.html>

Jeff

========================================================================

<http://www.luxtera.com>

They claim to integrate optics and electronics so that for transceivers
at or above 10 Gb/s, optic is better and no more expensive than
electrical.

White paper:
<http://www.luxtera.com/assets/Luxtera_WPFiberReplacesCopper.pdf>

They say integration is important, but don't say how they integrate
the lasers and photodiodes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

This article didn't reveal much:
<http://www.lightreading.com/document.asp?doc_id=84118&WT.svl=news2_1>
But this (from Comment #22) was interesting (if true):

      You can buy an entire 1.25G fiber optic transceiver today for
      $22 in volume. It won't be long (maybe 2 years) until 10G is
      available for nearly that price.

---

"10-Gbit Ethernet parts readied, 100G in wings"  10-24-05  EE Times:
<http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=SVOOWTTSP4I00QSNDLPSKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=172303472>

---

"Finisar & Luxtera - Gilder Telecosm 2006"   10-6-06
<http://www.nyquistcapital.com/2006/10/06/finisar-luxtera-gilder-telecosm-2006>

Side issue:  "Cisco's Optical Illusion"   9-6-06
<http://www.nyquistcapital.com/2006/09/06/ciscos-optical-illusion>
(About Cisco's monopsony control of the transceiver market.)

---

"Luxtera Wins 2nd DARPA Grant"   11-8-06
<http://www.edn.com/article/CA6389370.html?ref=nbra>

---

"Luxtera Ups Port Count before Laser-on-a-Chip Launch"    11-14-06
<http://www.computerwire.com/industries/research/?pid=803C8FC0-A8C4-4049-AF4C-5D95B008F4D3>

      In terms of distance, Tlalka said the company's 10Gb technology
      "goes up to 2,000 meters for the same cost, beyond which you need
      stronger lasers."

Odd limit.

---

"Luxtera Named Finalist for EE Times ACE Awards"   1-23-07
<http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2007/01/23/2269055.htm>

      ... selected by EE Times as a finalist for "Startup of the Year"
      for its 2007 Annual Creativity in Electronics" (ACE) awards.

_________________________________________________________________
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