How optical transceivers work
One of the main parts of a high performance and stable Optical Network Architecture are the transceivers. They are essential to the Optical Network Architecture because they are the components that are transmitting and converting the optical light down the cable. They are made to transmit light on one end of the cable and receive light on the other end of the cable. Most commonly these transceivers operate in transmitting light on one optical fiber and receiving light on another fiber for duplex operation.
What are the main components of optical transceivers? The components that are in charge of driving the light through the optical cable are also called light sources for Fiber Optic transceivers. The most commonly used light sources are LEDs and VCSELs (vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers). Even though they have the same purpose of converting electrical signals into optical light and vice-versa, they are very different in their functioning. They are in fact small semiconductor chips and they are emitting light from the surface of the chip.
LED as Light Source in Optical transceivers LEDs have limited bandwidth and distance and they have less power than the VCSELs mainly because of their larger core. Because of their larger core they emit a very broad spectral light which then suffer from chromatic dispersion in the fiber itself.
VCSEL as Light Source in Optical transceivers VCSELs on the other hand have a smaller core that emits a tighter light that doesn’t suffer from chromatic dispersion which makes them optimal for use with Single-mode Fibers.
Form Factors of Optical Transceiver Modules Transceivers are divided in a couple of form factors that come in fairly similar standardized Package, but they are fundamentally different in their functioning and characteristics. All CBO BlueOpticsŠ transceivers are manufactured by the highest industry standards. Their internal components are manufactured by the industry leading manufacturers for optical equipment like Maxim Integrated, Avago and Mitsubishi Electric for optical lasers and NTT Electronic and others for integrated circuits.
BlueOptics transceivers are available in several form factors: BlueOptics SFP transceivers BlueOptics SFP+ transceivers BlueOptics cSFP transceivers BlueOptics SFP28 transceivers BlueOptics QSFP transceivers BlueOptics QSFP28 transceivers BlueOptics CFP transceivers BlueOptics CFP2 transceivers
BlueOptics CFP4 transceivers BlueOptics X2 transceivers BlueOptics XENPAK transceivers BlueOptics XFP transceivers BlueOptics GBIC transceivers