10 April 2018

CST Global proves multi-gigabit transmission feasibility with detuned 1270nm DFB lasers facilitating 5G 60GHz radio over fiber

© Semiconductor Today Magazine / Juno PublishiPicture: Disco’s DAL7440 KABRA laser saw.

III-V optoelectronic foundry Compound Semiconductor Technologies Global Ltd (CST Global) of Hamilton International Technology Park, Blantyre, near Glasgow, Scotland, UK says that it has proven the feasibility of multi-gigabit data transmission at a 1270nm carrier wavelength.

The feasibility came as part of the European Union (EU) Horizon 2020 research project iBROW (Innovative ultra-Broadband Ubiquitous Wireless Communications Through Tera-hertz Transceivers), led by the University of Glasgow and managed within CST Global by research engineer Horacio Cantu.

“The objective of the iBROW project is to establish the best millimetre-wave (mmWave), ROF (radio over fiber) ultra-broadband solution,” says Cantu. “The performance characteristics of 1270nm detuned, in-plane, ridge-waveguide distributed feedback (DFB) laser diodes demonstrated it is an ideal ROF carrier wavelength,” he adds. “We previously showed that 1310nm was an effective, transmission wavelength. We are confident that this new technology will also be feasible at 1550nm, which will deliver an ultra-broadband, low-latency solution, extending transmission distances up to 25km.”

ROF requires light to be modulated with radio-data, for optical transmission. It offers a huge bandwidth increase over existing solutions and requires no digital-to-analog (DAC) conversion, resulting in a low-latency solution.

CST Global has also begun concurrent development of a wireless-to-optical link as part of the Innovate UK project ‘WiPhi’ (high-performance wireless/photonic interfaces for 60GHz radio-over-fiber applications) with partners Optocap Ltd and the University of Glasgow.

The mmWave signal base-band is transmitted over the fiber-optic connection from an indium phosphide (InP) mmWave transceiver to the system core. “We are working with our sister company Sivers IMA, a mmWave specialist, to optimize a combined ROF, optical and mmWave solution,” notes Cantu. “This will offer ultra-broadband in the V-band frequencies, within the mmWave spectrum, at 60GHz, which is one of the designated 5G network bands for telecommunication infrastructures,” he adds. “More development is needed to establish a commercial, ultra-broadband ROF solution that is low-cost, energy-efficient, compact, operates at room temperature, and integrates with 5G fiber-optic network requirements.”

See related items:

CST Global receives £108,000 from UK government to lead 60GHz radio-over-fiber project

CST Global presents detuned DFB lasers for increased modulation efficiency in fiber-optic transmission

EC awards €4m for project iBROW to develop innovative broadband wireless communications

Tags: CSTG Terahertz

Visit: www.CSTGlobal.uk