Infinera successfully demonstrated a large-scale photonic integrated circuit (PIC) capable of carrying data at a rate of 1.6 Terabits per second (Tb/s). This is the highest data rate yet achieved for a single PIC. Last year, Infinera demonstrated a PIC carrying data at 400 Gbps.
Infinera’s 1.6 Tbps PIC includes more than 240 optical devices on a chip. It transmits 40 channels of optical data, with each channel operating at 40 Gbps. The aggregate date rate of 1.6 Tbps is equivalent to 160 of the line cards typically deployed in long-haul telecom networks today. An optical system based on a 1.6 Tb/s PIC would deliver substantial benefits to service providers in terms of density, space, power consumption, and cost-effectiveness.
Infinera said that while this PIC is still a lab demonstration, it shows the enormous potential of photonic integration to put more and more devices, as well as more features and functionality, onto a single chip.
