The Future of Multimode Transmission

Michael Connaughton, RCDD Fiber Optic Product Manager Mohawk/CDT

Review - Next Generation High Performance Networks

BICSI Fall Conference - Las Vegas, NV
September 22, 1998

Evolution of networks
Increased LAN protocol speeds lead to need for low cost optical sources VCSELs

Laser-MMF interaction issues

New fibers needed to guarantee operation and satisfy length requirements InfiniCor/AdvanceLite

Review - A Migration Path for Future Growth

BICSI Winter Conference - Orlando, FL
January 18, 1999

Potential for mixed cable plants

50/125 fiber has inherent advantages Installed base is 62.5/125 FDDI fiber

Full compatibility
No issues for laser based systems, minor degradation for 10BaseF (LED based system)

Review - Gigabit Ethernet - How Far Can You Go?

BICSI Summer Conference - Nashville, TN
June 8, 1999

Longer distances with 1000 Base-LX

AdvanceLite/InfiniCor CL 1000 and 2000 fibers No mode-conditioning patch cord needed

Backbone demonstration
2 km link utilizing AdvanceLite/InfiniCor CL 2000 fiber with 3Com SuperStack II Switch 3300 with 1000 Base-LX modules

Allows migration from full 2 km backbone

What is Different Between LED and Laser Sources With MMF?

Laser Launch
Overfilled Launch (LED)
Hundreds of modes - high modal dispersion Power distributed in 100% of fiber core area Max. data rate of 622 Mbps

Laser Launch
Fewer modes - low modal dispersion Power distributed in a small percentage of the fiber core area Potential for higher bandwidth

Restricted Launch Issues

LEDs produce an overfilled launch (OFL) OFL BW characterizes the red zone

L E D

L E D

Core Diameter Index Profile

Restricted Launch Issues

LEDs produce an overfilled launch (OFL) OFL BW characterizes the red zone Lasers emphasize the profile center Lasers aggravate blue zone effects Differential Mode Delay (DMD) and Mode Power Distribution (MPD) measurements characterize blue zone laser bandwidth

Laser L E D L E D

Core Diameter Index Profile

OFL BW Does Not Find the Problems

Implications for laser launch are questionable for this non-Corning fiber positioned as a premium product

Another Example of What Slips By with No Actual Laser Measurement

Index Profile of "Worst Case" SX Cable Fibers
2.00E+00

1.50E+00

1.00E+00

0.00E+00 0 -5.00E-01 Radial Position (m) 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Corning Laser-Optimized FiberTM

Example of Corning InfiniCor Fiber Profile

Intensity (%)

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Radial Position (m)

Do You Know What Youre Getting?

Evaluation of one laser launch condition and OFL bandwidth OFL bandwidth alone is not a good surrogate for laser bandwidth Challenge is to find a launch condition that ensures consistently high bandwidth
3500

3000 Laser Bandwidth (MHz.km)

2500

2000

1500

OFL ~ Laser OFL > Laser OFL < Laser

1000

500

0 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 OFL Bandwidth (MHz.km)

TIA FO-2.2.1 Task Group on Modal Dependence of Bandwidth

8/99 Status Update

Task Group Scope

Develop recommendation for laser-based system bandwidth prediction methodology
For short haul data communications Using both 62.5 m fiber and 50 m multimode fiber Focus on 850 nm window sources (e.g. VCSEL and CD laser technology)

Determine if a specifiable launch condition exists

To provide better agreement between fiber bandwidth characterization and actual laser transmitter performance

Develop a recommendation for test methods TIA FO-2.2.1 Update

Objectives
1) Devise a bandwidth test for fiber which is representative of the actual system performance
Standard overfilled bandwidth does not correlate to laser bandwidth

2) Develop transceiver launch distribution test to ensure restricted transmitter launch (e.g. encircled flux)
Typical transceivers range from overfilled to singlemode

TIA FO-2.2.1 Update

Laser and Overfilled Bandwidth Dont Correlate

1200

There is no clear relationship between overfilled bandwidth and effective modal bandwidth using standard VCSELs

VCSEL Effective Modal Bandwidth (MHz-km)

1000 S1 S6 S2 S7 S13 S17 S16 S11 S10 S8 S9 S14 S15 Unity Slope Line

800

600

400

200

0 200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

Standard Overfilled Launch Bandwidth (MHz-km)

Data includes 21 62.5 m fibers and 13 VCSEL transmitters

TIA FO-2.2.1 Update

Typical Transceivers Have Large Range of Launch Distributions

Typical transceivers range from overfilled to a singlemode launch Encircled flux measures power contained within a radius
100% 90%

Single-mode

Encircled Flux at 30 um (%)

80%

Proposed Tx launch Theoretical Limit Manufacturer A

70%

Misc VCSELs TIA VCSELs LEDs TIA CD Lasers

60%

Misc CD Lasers Fixed Launches

50%

40%

Overfilled
30% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50%

Encircled Flux at 9 um (%)

TIA FO-2.2.1 Update

VCSEL Effective Modal Bandwidth and Encircled Flux Correlate

1200

There is a clear relationship between encircled flux and effective modal bandwidth (850 nm and 62.5 m fiber)

1000

EMB (MHz km)

800

600

400

200

0 0.5-0.6 0.6-0.65 0.65-0.7 0.7-0.75 0.75-0.8 0.8-0.85 0.85-0.9 0.9-0.95

Normalized Encircled Flux @ 15 um

Results from validation experiment courtesy of John Schlager, NIST

TIA FO-2.2.1 Update

Task Group Future Activities

Complete validation experiment to confirm that a new, improved level of system performance can be Timeline achieved using: 1) 850 nm sources meeting a new launch condition 4Q99 criteria and 2) Multimode fiber meeting a new restricted launch bandwidth requirement 4Q99 Finalize transceiver launch criteria and new fiber restricted launch bandwidth measurement 1Q00 Document performance improvement given launch conditioning and write fiber test procedures (FOTPs) 2000 Support translation of recommendation into systems standards such as 1 and 10 Gbps Ethernet

TIA FO-2.2.1 Update

Laser Based Test Standard

Eliminates need for correlation to existing OFL standards Allows for apples to apples product comparisons Ensures performance meets expectations in laser based systems

Laser-Optimized Fiber
AdvanceLite/InfiniCor Fiber
Provides guaranteed performance attributes for Gigabit Ethernet Allows specification of fiber today to meet tomorrows needs Is compatible with existing networks and cable

IEEE 802.3 High Speed Study Group

8/99 Status Update

Todays Networks
802.3
Private Network (cost-centered) Customer owned Shorter Distances (LAN) Premise Distribution

WAN
Public Network (profit-centered) Service provider Longer Distances - WAN MAN, RAN, etc

LAN Cabling Model ISO/IEC 11801 - TIA/EIA-568-A

LAN
TO HC HC IC MC HC HC TO TO
TP

HC

Horizontal Cable HC
HC IC HC

Intrabuilding backbone

Interbuilding backbone
TO HC HC HC HC HC IC HC HC

TO

WAN/RAN/MAN

IC MC

HC

LAN Geographical Span ~3 kilometers

10 Gigabit Ethernet Convergence Technology

802.3
Private Network (cost-centered) Customer owned Hierarchy of Distance, Distance (LAN) Media??? Premise Distribution -access to dark fiber, lit fiber, dark 10 Gig Convergence Network

WAN
Public Network (profit-centered) Service provider Hierarchy of Distance - WAN MAN, RAN, etc

Push

Network Ownership Evolution

LAN
TO HC HC IC MC HC HC TO TO
TP

HC

Horizontal Cable HC
HC IC HC

Private Network-Cost Centered

Interbuilding backbone
TO HC TO HC HC HC HC IC HC HC

Public Network- Profit Centered

WAN/RAN/MAN

IC MC

HC

LAN Geographical Span ~3 kilometers

Geographical Span ~? kilometers

IEEE 802.3 High Speed Study Group Objectives

Partial List Of Objectives: Select only one of 10.000 Gbps or 9.58464 Gbps to standardize as the MAC/PLS data rate Support fiber media selected from the second edition of ISO/IEC 11801 Provide a family of Physical Layer specifications which supports link distances with multimode and singlemode fibers
Note: Report from the July 5-8, 1999 meeting of the 802.3 High Speed Study Group, Montreal

Summary: Multimode Fiber Delivers

Allows clear path to network upgrades
Today, use 100 Mbps with inexpensive LED electronics Tomorrow, use cost effective 850 nm electronics for GbE In the future, positioned for low cost 1300 nm and 850 nm developments

Summary AdvanceLite/InfiniCor Fiber Best Option

Cost Effective Flexible Upgradeable

Visit Our Demonstration Room Crystal Room 2

3:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Fiber characteristics/laser measurement 50 m and 62.5 m compatibility measurements Demonstration of GbE at 2 km

Thank You

For more information:

Mohawk/CDT Booth #27 Corning Booth #31

http://www.mohawk-cdt.com http://www.corningfiber.com