Physical Optics Corporation — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: 01b

Description

The development of advanced optical networking components is being sought to test optical signal quality and network integrity in fiber optic links up to 100+ Gigabit per second in current and future high performance computing communication networks. The new technology is critically needed to support continuous monitoring of quality of the optical signal in ever growing high performance computing and others (metro, long haul) fiber optic networks with increased data transmission rates and bandwidth. To address this specific need, a new low-cost fiber optic network signal integrity analyzer in support of high-speed fiber optic network integrity assessment without network interruption is proposed. As a handheld system, the signal integrity analyzer is based on an innovative integration of mature and proven microwave and optoelectronics components coupled with a novel design that enables an in-situ test of optical network integrity (signal quality). The analyzer system will perform very high data rate (100+ Gigabit per second) optical-to-electrical conversion of an input optical data stream and provide recovered clock and re-timed data at its electrical outputs. In addition to performing this clock and data recovery, the signal integrity analyzer provides a low-jitter trigger output necessary for triggering high-speed sampling oscilloscopes. The proposed system will also be equipped with built-in optical time-domain reflectometer, based on novel miniature integrated laser-modulator with a tunnel coupled media module for very high data rate transmitter applications. In Phase I, the proposer will demonstrate the feasibility of the signal integrity analyzer technology by designing, fabricating, and testing a scaled-down hardware prototype operating with two major optical networking communication standards (for example 9.953 and 10.664 Gigabit per second) bit rates and demonstrate its performance and usefulness for high speed fiber optic networks integrity monitoring. Additionally the proposer will demonstrate an initial media prototype and its components, laser diode and modulator. The overall plan is to design the media structure and fabricate components prototype while enabling realistic benchtop testing and photoluminescence spectroscopy characterization of ground states to gather evidence for control of laser power by the modulator potential and to extract data for the device optimization. These developments will lay the groundwork for the Phase II development of full- scale prototype(s). To advance the nation’s capabilities to continuously monitor the integrity of high-performance computing networks, high-quality optical signal test-support equipment is required. A low-cost, user-adjustable data rate optical signal test support equipment for long-distance, wide area and other fiber optic networks operating in electronically noisy environments is proposed. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The highly integrated signal integrity analyzer with built-in fiber optic transmitter source will make it attractive for many commercial applications such as in transmitting and evaluating medical data from magnetic resonance imaging equipment in medical computer and other networks, in spectroscopy of the gamma rays or particles, in mm-Wave antenna remote applications where isolation from lightning strikes is essential, and in broadband telecommunications requiring protection from hazards of ground-potential rise common to high-voltage zones such as those surrounding power transmission equipment.