Coherent Comb for Co-Packaged Optics

Introduction

The volume of data produced, managed, and consumed continues to grow exponentially, driven by emerging technologies like machine learning, artificial intelligence, and blockchain. Demand for compute power to support these services is growing at 10X every 18 months, and datacenter operators are struggling to keep up.

Challenges in Datacenter Networks

Significant challenges have emerged in datacenter networks around:

• Bandwidth
• Signal integrity
• Power
• Face-plate density

Proposed Solutions

The migration of the optical interconnect to the board (Co-Packaged Optics, CPO) and to the chip (Optical I/O, OIO) has been proposed as a potential solution. However, only a few years into this new paradigm, two of the available dimensions for system scaling (fiber and wavelength count) are already heavily utilized, posing scaling challenges in the near term.

Transition to Coherent Communication

Today’s CPO/OIO systems use intensity modulation/direct detection, but given these pressures, a transition to coherent communication is inevitable. COCOPOP will deliver the first coherent-capable external laser source (ELS), which benefits today’s systems and also future-proofs them by enabling full exploitation of the third scaling dimension—bit rate/wavelength—through coherent communication.

In doing so, Pilot Photonics will capture for Europe a key position in this strategically important market segment, forecasted to grow to $2.2 billion by 2032.

Development of Chip-Scale Frequency Comb

Building upon developments in EIC “PICOMB,” the chip-scale frequency comb that will be matured and commercialized through COCOPOP brings many benefits over commercial state-of-the-art DFB arrays, such as:

1. Unmatched linewidth
2. Relative intensity noise
3. Output power
4. Wavelength stability derived from the synchronization and locking of independent lasers with a low linewidth, frequency-locked optical frequency comb (OFC).

Market Intentions

PILOT has a proven track record in commercially exploiting the outcomes of advanced R&D programs in the area of chip-scale OFC technology, and we intend for the COCOPOP ELS to be on the market within two years of the COCOPOP project end.