Odin chip reduces power for data centre operations

Ranovus has leveraged its strategic collaboration with IBM, TE Connectivity (TE), and Senko Advanced Components (SENKO), leading providers of multi-terabit interconnect solutions, to create a second- generation CPO 2.0 configuration for the data centre. 

Co-packaged Optics, or CPO, is an innovative approach that provides nx100Gbps PAM4 Optical I/O for Ethernet switch and ML/AI silicon in a single packaged assembly, which significantly reduces the cost and power consumption of the complete system.  

With data centre traffic growing at an unprecedented pace, fueled by advances in AI and Machine Learning, the networking infrastructure must scale in capacity while maintaining its total power consumption and footprint.

The strategic collaboration that was announced in March 2020 between Ranovus, TE, IBM, and SENKO, known as CPO 1.0, has enabled a multi-sourced solution to further meet this challenge.

CPO 2.0 improves on CPO 1.0 while maintaining optical interoperability  and brings the following advantages to the ecosystem:

1-     40% cost and power consumption savings through:

1. Eliminating the retimer function in the Odin Analog-Drive optical engine
2. Enabling a cost-effective single die solution with the Odin Analog-Drive optical engine

2-     Smaller footprint

3-     Reuse and Optimisation of existing 100G PAM4 and PCIe Ser/Des chips vs new investment in an XSR Ser/Des chip for data centre applicationsCustomer trials with Odin Analog-Drive CPO 2.0 are planned in Q4 2021.

Specifically, this collaboration leverages:

1-     RANOVUS’ highly scalable Odin silicon photonics engine, which leverages the company’s disruptive innovation in Multi-Wavelength Quantum Dot Laser (MW QDL), 100Gbps Silicon Photonics based Micro Ring Resonator modulators and photodetectors, 100Gbps Driver, 100Gbps TIA and control circuity in a power efficient and cost-effective single die EPIC (Electronic-Photonic Integrated Circuit).

2-     IBM’s innovative fibre V-groove interconnect packaging technology is a robust and reliable assembly technique to interface optical fibers to silicon photonics devices. This process makes use of passive alignment techniques and achieves low insertion loss across a wide spectral range in both the O-band and C-band regimes. The solution is scalable in physical channel count and the automated process provides a path to high-volume manufacturing of co-packaged optics.

3-     TE Connectivity’s co-packaged (CP) fine pitch socket interposer technology enables integration of small chipset and optical engine component technologies into high-value co-package assemblies with reworkable and interoperable interfaces.  The CP fine pitch socket interposer technology has signal integrity performance capability for 100 Gbps as well as future 200 Gbps applications.  The integration of TE’s controlled force mechanical and thermal bridge hardware completes the assembly by providing an innovative solution for thermal management of the switch, serialiser/deserialiser (SerDes), and optics necessary for high reliability and long operating life.

4-     SENKO’s fibre optic connectivity solutions for optical coupling, on-board/mid-board, and faceplate support 100Gbps/lane and beyond Co-Packaged Optics equipment designs. These include low profile and precision fibre coupler assemblies, micro-sized on-/mid-board connectors, reflow compatible connector assemblies, space saving connector options for faceplate, and blindmate connector solutions for backplane and external laser source modules. These will provide more efficiency, scalability, and flexibility in designs for Co-Packaged Optics equipment.