Introduction to CFP2-ACO Transceivers

CFP2-ACO Transceivers is a CFP2 Form factor with Analog Coherent Optics (ACO) techniques, this transceiver module is designed to support high density line card applications with the coherent Digital Signal Processor (DSP) on the host board.The CFP2-ACO provides broad applications, it can meet a large enough addressable market for the optical module vendors to amortize significant investments in the development of the module. A long life-span for the CFP2-ACO solution is expected to provide the necessary runway and unit volumes required to spur significant innovation and cost reduction in the coherent optics solutions for Metro-to-Regional reach line-side transport.

Benefits of CFP2-ACO Modules:

Margin stacking of the coherent DSP engine in the supply chain is removed.
Coherent DSP engine development is decoupled from the electro-optics development, which is beneficial since they have different supply chains and development cadences. This decoupling also enables specialization within the supply chain and reduces duplication of development efforts.
Optimal cooling of the optical and electronic DSP functions is possible, enabling higher performance line-side applications. Shared heat sinking between low temperature optics and high temperature electronics is avoided and there is no inefficient “box”-in-“box” thermal stacking:
- A Host board coherent DSP engine can have a permanently attached full slot height heat sink with excellent thermal interface conductivity. The DSP engine can operate with high junction temperatures.
- A faceplate pluggable module has limited space available for a riding heat sink and the interface thermal conductivity is limited by both the maximum spring force that can be applied to the module and the module surface roughness. A pluggable module is best suited to relatively low power E-to-O conversion functionality.
The dominant coherent modem Bill of Material (BOM) cost along with the main contributors to reliability FITs (Failures in Time) become hot pluggable within the CFP2-ACO module. This addresses the problem of the modem first-in install cost in multi-port line cards. It also allows the selection of the best-fit CFP2-ACO module for each system application at the time of deployment (price/performance/power/etc.)

The portfolio of CFP2-ACO Optical Modules
Class 1: