Ericsson explores silicon photonics technology for Terabit super-channels

Ericsson participated in the research project APACHE, Agile Photonic Integrated Systems-on-Chip Enabling WDM Terabit Networks, funded in part by the European Union. The project has resulted in the fabrication of a set of InP opto chips on silicon that aims to enable aggregated Terabit traffic capacities for high-speed broadband services.

Ericsson helped prepare the research results for commercial adaption in products for the telecom market. The devices will play an important role in increasing network capacity cost-effectively when deployed in optical networks.

The project demonstrated photonic circuits capable of handling multiple 100Gbps data rates and a multiplicity of modulation formats that will enhance the transmission efficiency of optical fiber. The "monolithic-on-hybrid" silicon photonics integration approach allows for increasing integration and high-yield fabrication of complex photonic circuits.

The consortium, headed by the National Technical University of Athens (Greece), comprises the Centre for Integrated Photonics (UK), Heinrich Hertz Institute (Germany), PhoeniX Software (The Netherlands), Athens Information Technology Centre, AIT, (Greece), and Ericsson units in Sweden, the UK and Italy. The project started officially April 1, 2008, and concluded in late 2011. Public project results are available on the website, www.ict-apache.eu.