Highly-integrated, VCSEL-based optoelectronics for fault-tolerant, self-routing optical networks

The demand for bandwidth and interconnectivity in aerospace and other defense networks and systems continues to expand. To meet this demand while still satisfying the unique requirements of these systems, innovative approaches are needed. For future networks to meet these goals, they will need to have high bandwidths that are scalable to the requirements of particular applications. In addition, the networks need to be very fault tolerant, protocol independent, non-blocking, low latency, and have low power consumption and small size. OptiComp Corporation has developed a unique network architecture where the hardware is distributed across the network, allowing the network to be self routing and highly fault tolerant. This network architecture is enabled by OptiComp's integrated optoelectronic technologies including waveguide coupled VCSELs and detectors, compact WDM, SOAs, and hybrid integration. Waveguide grating couplers that enable a VCSEL to be coupled bidirectionally into an internal waveguide and allow a portion of the light in a waveguide to be tapped off to a detector comprise the core of OptiComp's integrated optoelectronics. This on-chip coupling into and out of a waveguide enables coarse WDM multiplexing and demultiplexing to be accomplished in a very small area with no additional packaging, making the structure more compact and rugged. Waveguide coupled device results will be presented, including high-speed data transmission between waveguide coupled VCSELs and detectors. Preliminary results on waveguide coupled WDM components will also be discussed. In addition to the enabling components, the implementation of the network architecture will also be presented.