Coherent Introduces Ultrahigh-Resolution Telemetry Module for Embedded Performance Monitoring in 800G Optical Transport Systems

PITTSBURGH, Sept. 16, 2022 – Coherent Corp. (Nasdaq: COHR), a leader in optical communications technology, today announced the introduction of its ultrahigh-resolution telemetry module, or optical channel monitor (UHR-OCM), for embedded performance monitoring in optical transport systems transmitting at up to 800G and beyond.

Communications service providers are rapidly scaling up the capacity of optical networks to support the exponential growth of internet traffic, driving the demand for next-generation communications equipment that can deliver greater bandwidth while maintaining long transmission reach. The UHR-OCM module provides next-generation transport systems, such as reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexers (ROADMs), with ultrahigh-resolution spectral scans of super-channels transmitting at up to 800 Gbps and beyond. The fine resolution of the spectral scans enables these dynamically reconfigurable systems to achieve in real time the tuning precision required to reliably maintain their transmission reach, ranging from hundreds to thousands of kilometers.

“The telemetry performance that transport systems require is nearing that of test and measurement instruments, as we approach the era of one terabit per second super-channels,” said Dr. Richard Smart, Senior Vice President, ROADM Business Unit. “The UHR-OCM module, which leverages the photonic engine design of our WaveAnalyzer instrument, can resolve extremely fine features in the spectrum, down to individual carriers densely packed into multicarrier super-channels. Yet, the module’s small size makes it the ultimate solution for embedded telemetry in state-of-the-art ROADM systems, such as the node-on-a-blade platform that we recently announced.”

The UHR-OCM integrates patented and proprietary coherent receiver and tunable laser technologies. It can scan the C- and L-bands with 1.25 GHz optical resolution bandwidth, 312.5 MHz readout resolution, and a frequency accuracy of less than 1 GHz. The UHR-OCM provides polarization-specific spectral content and measures optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR).

Coherent will exhibit at ECOC 2022 in Basel, Switzerland, Sept. 19-21, booth #1. At this conference, Coherent will showcase the most recent additions to its broad portfolio of differentiated solutions for telecom and datacom optical networks, including live technology demonstrations.