Schott Optovance Sees New Opportunities For VCSEL Transceiver Interconnects
High-Bandwidth two-dimensional transceivers require specific interconnect solutions
SOUTHBRIDGE, MA-July 24, 2002-Telecom and datacom equipment vendors rely on optical interconnect authority Schott Optovance's established Optical Shuffle(tm) fiber management solution to interconnect their 12 channel parallel optical transceivers. With the emergence of 2-D parallel optical transceivers - the high-bandwidth version of very short reach (VSR) connections with more than 12 channels, Schott Optovance addresses this new market segment by offering its 2-D VCSEL transceiver interconnect.
Following discussions with large telecom equipment vendors for next generation systems that feature multi-shelf architectures, Schott Optovance sees an emerging interest in a high-bandwidth optical interconnect solution involving their optical interconnects and the products of manufacturers of 2-D VCSEL transceiver manufacturers.
Ashok Krishnamoorthy, CEO of AraLight Inc., a promising high-density, 2-D VCSEL transceiver company, said: "We view multi-bay switching and routing equipment as very promising markets for high-bandwidth very-short reach optical links. With their passive fiber management solutions, Schott Optovance's products complement AraLight's high-density transceivers."
Specifically, Schott Optovance offers two types of applications for high-bandwidth links: The first application is to provide the immediate fiber coupling between VCSEL or photo diode arrays and the transceiver connectors and secondly, Schott Optovance provides high-density optical interconnect cables to span the typical backplane distances.
About the 2-D VCSEL Transceiver Interconnect
Schott Optovance's 2-D VCSEL transceiver interconnect serves two functions. First, to guide enough light between parallel transceivers, and second, it re-routes the channels as needed. The company has developed products from coupling optics for 2-D VCSEL transceivers that are completely integrated into the transceiver package to VCSEL transceiver interconnects which serve as the actual fiber management from transceiver to transceiver(s).
The 2-D VCSEL transceiver interconnect is offered in various configurations such as 2x12 arrays and up to 12 x 22 arrays. As the numbers of channels increase in transceivers, the flexible routing schemes that Schott Optovance's optical interconnects provide also circumvent serious limitations of electrical wire routing.
"With our optical interconnect solutions, we offer the essentials for addressing high-bandwidth data links. The value we bring to the market with the VCSEL transceiver interconnects really lies in managing fiber routing at minimal space usage," said Andreas Zenz, Director of Business Development and Marketing for Schott Optovance. "Thus, we continue to offer essentially the same value proposition to our customers as with our first product, the Optical Shuffle(tm), which has been so well accepted in the market."
Schott Optovance addresses the market for very short reach (VSR) interconnections with a variety of products such as the 2-D VCSEL transceiver interconnect and the Optical Shuffle(tm) fiber management product. Through its strategic alliance with ULM Photonics in Germany, it also provides VCSEL arrays and 10 Gb/s VCSELs. All of these products satisfy the need for high-density optical interconnect solutions and reaffirm Schott Optovance's position as leading the VSR optical interconnect market by moving parallel optics deeper into the central office.
About Schott Optovance
Schott Optovance, Inc. is a privately held optical interconnect company that redefines high-density optical interconnects for the component, board and backplane level. Headquartered in Southbridge, MA, Schott Optovance was established to lead and address the emerging market of highly parallel optical interconnects. Schott Optovance is a strategic US unit of the Schott Group (Germany) and is responsible for telecom and datacom components and developing extensive intellectual property. Schott Optovance is a subsidiary of Schott Corporation, whose base product is special glass. Schott Corporation is the North American headquarters for the Schott Group and has 16 divisions and subsidiaries employing approximately 3,200 people. The Schott Group employs nearly 20,000 people worldwide and has sales of approximately $2 billion Optical Shuffle(tm) is a registered trademark of Schott Optovance.