In 2023, the ChatGPT chatbot program released by OpenAI opened a new round of artificial intelligence blue ocean in the world, and the subsequent Sora large model promoted the development of this wave. In the new era of intelligence, new scenarios and new applications continue to emerge, which has spawned a huge demand for computing power, which also puts higher requirements on the bandwidth and delay of information and communication infrastructure. As the cornerstone of network connectivity, high-quality optical fiber networks play an indispensable role in the Internet of everything. For the optical network, the backbone transmission network is like a "major artery" carrying all kinds of business and a "load-bearing wall" supporting the entire information infrastructure, which has become a major transformative technology in the current wave of artificial intelligence.

This wave of artificial intelligence first arose abroad. Up to now, foreign high-speed optical modules used in cloud computing, AI computing power, 5G and other aspects are mainly 800G high-speed optical modules, and the following companies are mainly represented:

Coherent: 800G DR8 QSFP-DD and 800G (2 x 400 SR4) OSFP optical modules are coherent. The transmission rate is 850Gb/s and the transmission distance is 500m. The 800G DR8 QSFP-DD optical module has a variety of operating modes and can achieve a transmission distance of up to 1,000 km at 800Gbps and up to 2,000 km at 400Gbps.

Lumentun: Mainly 800G ZR+ series, 800G ZR+ optical module uses the current mainstream silicon optical chip for signal transmission, with the ability to directly interface with the router, can cover DCI to the metropolitan area and regional network wide application. In addition, performance mode enhancements make 400ZR+ and 600ZR+ operations suitable for true long range applications, with OSNR and dispersion tolerances of over 2,000 km at 400 Gbps.

▲ Coherent/Lumentun 800G optical module

CIG (Shanghai Cambridge) : Different from Coherent, CIG's 800G optical module is mainly 800G QSFP-DD DR8 and 800G OSFP 2xFR4, of which 800G OSFP 2xFR4 has a transmission distance of 2000 meters. Based on the 800G QSFP-DD DR8, CIG developed the 800G QSFP-DD DR8+, which increased the transmission distance from the original 500 meters to 2000 meters.

SOURCE PHOTONOCS: The 800G modules of Source Photonocs are also mainly QSFP-DD and OSFP. However, Source Photonocs not only has 800G optical modules with transmission distances of 500 meters and 2000 meters. It has also developed the SPQ-8E2-LR-CDFQA(QSFP-DD) and SPQ-8E8-DR-CDFOC(OSFP), which can reach a transmission distance of 10,000 meters.

▲ CIG (Shanghai Cambridge) /SOURCE PHOTONOCS 800G optical module

While improving the 800G high-speed optical module, the above enterprises are also preparing for the research of 1.6T high-speed optical module. For example, Coherent's FTCF2519E1PCM series, which is a 1.6-T-DR8 OSFP optical module with a transmission distance of 500 meters, is composed of eight 200G transmission single channels in parallel. Similarly, CIG's TPJ5K00PNFDMF000 series and Source Photonocs's 1.6-T-DR8 OSFP optical module products are consistent with the Coherent FTCF2519E1PCM series in terms of transmission distance and composition. Although the Lumentum 1.6T optical module has not yet been born, we are already providing the customized TEC for the Lumentum 1.6T project.

▲ Foreign companies are preparing for 1.6T high-speed optical module research

Compared with foreign enterprises, the high-speed optical modules of domestic enterprises are mainly concentrated in the 400G series, and the following companies are mainly represented:

QINGDAOH: 400G QSFP-DD optical module has been launched for data center, the transmission distance of a single module is 2000 meters, which belongs to ultra-long distance data center optical module products.

SUZHOUXU: The 400G ZR/OpenZR + QSFP-DD series is based on dual polarization orthogonal amplitude modulation (DP-16QAM) design and supports extended C-band, polarization diversity coherent detection and advanced electronic link balancing.

WUXIKEDELI: 400G QSFP-DD is the main product of the 400G optical module of Decri. The transmission distance is 2km-40km. The module consists of a single transmission channel of 2*200G.

GUANGXUNK: RTXM600-300 belongs to the 400G QSFP series, different from KEDELI, the module is composed of 4*100G transmission single channel.

▲ Domestic enterprises 400G optical module

Not only that, some domestic companies are simultaneously launching an impact on 800G high-speed optical modules. SUZXC, QINGDHX, HUAWEIHS, WUHANHUAGZHZ have become pioneers. SUZHOUXUCHUAN's 800G OSFP11 2*FR4(SiPh) adopts self-developed silicon optical modulation chip, integrates two sets of CWDM wavelength transmitting and receiving units, and consists of 8*100G transmission single channel in parallel, with a transmission distance of 2000 meters. QINGDAOH's 800G QSFP-DD/OSFP SR8T also consists of 8*100G transmission single channel in parallel, but the transmission distance is shorter, only 100 meters. HUAWEIHA's OSFP 800GE2*FR4 High speed optical module features high reliability, non-airtight design and extremely low power consumption. HUAGONGZ's 800G OSFP DR8 optical module can also achieve lower power consumption, but the transmission distance is shorter, only 500 meters.

Among them, some 800G optical module leading enterprises have successfully developed 1.6T optical modules against foreign standards. Such as SUZHOUXUCHUENG and Wuhan HUAGONGZHENGYUAN. SUZHOUXUCHUANG's 1.6T OSFP DR8 (SiPh) optical module is based on the Asectron silicon optical platform, which can cover 2km single-mode optical fiber communication scenarios. The 1.6T/200G per lane optical module of Wuhan HUAGONGZHENGYUAN is based on eight 200G transmission single channels in parallel, and the optical module is still in the sample stage.

▲ Some domestic enterprises have successfully developed 1.6TOptical module