Optical, rad-hard transceiver for space applications released by Ultra Communications
NewsAugust 27, 2012
VISTA, CA. Engineers at Ultra Communications are targeting high-speed parallel optical communications for space applications with their radiation-hardened c X80-Q Fury transceiver. The surface-mount device produces a 12.5 Gbps per channel per receiver and has an extended temperature range of -40 to 100 degrees Celsius.
The Fury consists of a transceiver Integrated Circuit (IC), a Gallium arsenide (GaAs) Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) array, a GaAs PIN photodetector array, and a glass lens array. Applications for the device include 1 to 10 Gigabit Ethernet, 1x to 10x Fibre Channel, Serial Rapid IO, PCI Express, and VITA 17.2 which is focuses on 10Gbit Serial Front Panbel Data Port (FPDP).
A key feature is the device’s Built-In-Test (BIT) functionality for continuous monitoring of operating conditions – internal IC status and external parameters such as signal quality and fiber optic link loss, says Chuck Tabbert, vice president of Sales & Marketing at Ultra Communications. Its BIT functions include Transmitter Signal Strength Indicator (TSSI); Transmitter Modulation Strength Indicator (TMSI) for measuring Tx input amplitude; Receiver Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI) for measuring average Rx photocurrent; Receiver Modulation Strength Indicator (RMSI) for measuring Rx input and amplitude; critical transceiver operating conditions; and temperature sensor and VCSEL voltage. A digital SPI interface controls the bias settings and readout of BIT sensors.
For more information, contact Chuck Tabbert, at 505-823-1293, [email protected], or visit www.ultracomm-inc.com.
