Optical Design & Test Software Validates Cloud Data Center Interconnect and Chip Performance
As remote work has become a necessity during the pandemic, we all want our access to the Internet to perform with lightning speed. The increased pressure we’re placing on the Internet is accelerating the pace of change for both connection within data centers as well as their network connections. With the migration of applications and data to the cloud, the importance of optical fiber network interconnects in data centers is growing rapidly.
Trends for server rack data rates are moving from 10 to 25, 50, and 100 Gb/s. Networks are moving from 100 to 400 Gb/s today and 800 Gb/s in the near future. Engineers developing optical fiber interconnects face challenges of increasing speed and power reduction. To meet these performance demands, they need to: analyze the optical links passing through both the electrical and optical domains; simulate the design in the complete links with a given bit error rate (BER) target; and characterize the transceiver with different laser power levels or lengths of fiber.
E-O-E Simulation and Integrated Photonics Measurement
Keysight’s optical design and test software solutions enable engineers to simulate and validate their products to ensure the highest performance. At the system level, Keysight recently introduced an industry first electrical-optical-electrical (E-O-E) co-simulation workflow in partnership with VPIPhotonics (Figure 1). Using the PathWave Advanced Design System (ADS) E-O-E Solution, system architects run PathWave ADS with VPI Design Suite to dynamically simulate and optimize design parameters concurrently in electrical and optical domains.
Figure 1: E-O-E co-simulation workflow between PathWave Advanced Design System and VPI Design Suite
Watch the PathWave ADS E-O-E Solution demonstration video to see how dynamic co-simulation eliminates key barriers to development of high-performance hardware products. Sign up to attend our June 3 webinar “Evaluate Electrical Performance in Electrical-Optical-Electrical Link Systems” to learn more about the solution.
In addition to simulation, Keysight provides software solutions for photonics test at the component and integrated silicon level (Figure 2). The Keysight Photonic Application Suite is a collection of advanced and basic software tools for automating optical measurements and analysis, especially for determining wavelength and polarization dependence of fiber optic network components. For optical test engineers, Keysight’s PathWave Test Automation (TAP) features two plugins that easily integrate light wave component analyzer (LCA) measurements and wafer prober control within TAP test sequences. For more information on these solutions, visit Integrated Photonics Test.
Optical Virtual Seminar Series
Our product and technical experts have put together a comprehensive educational experience that you can take advantage of while working remotely. To learn how Keysight addresses the whole optical product development lifecycle from simulation to design validation to manufacturing test as well as physical and protocol testing for both electrical and optical interfaces, register to attend our July 7-9 virtual seminar series “Accelerate Optical Networking Innovations.”