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Molex Showcases Next-Generation Optical Solutions at OFC 2018
[March 11, 2018]

Molex Showcases Next-Generation Optical Solutions at OFC 2018


Molex will highlight next-generation optical interconnect, wavelength management, optoelectronic and optical subsystem solutions for dynamic high-bandwidth telecommunications and network infrastructure at the Optical Networking and Communication Conference and Exhibition (OFC 2018), March 11-15, 2018 at the San Diego (CA (News - Alert)) Convention Center in booth 2512.

"Today's communications network demands greater bandwidth to meet rising global data traffic. High-speed optical transceivers, flexible and scalable optical transport products, compact connectors and fiber management are all vital capabilities to build high-bandwidth and high-density communication equipment to serve telecom, enterprise and hyperscale data centers," said Doug Busch, vice president and general manager, optical solutions at Molex (News - Alert).

Product technology highlights in booth 2512 include:

  • Molex's full portfolio of optical transceiver products, covering high-speed data center, wireless xHaul and metro/aggregation optical networking applications with data rates up to 100 Gbps.
  • Molex's full portfolio of Wavelength Management products such as mux/demux, optical amplification, monitoring, switching and routing components, modules and subsystems.
  • MPO data center optical solutions that support more efficient integration of high-performance networks and can eliminate redundant cabling when required.

In addition to the product highlights, Molex will feature several public and private demos, including:

  • OptoConnect Optical Enclosures - A replacement technology for patch cord-based cross connections, OptoConnect optical management solutions simplify complex fiber mapping while greatly reducing intra-system cabling footprints in advanced network architectures.
  • Fiber Management Solutions for COBO Based Optical Engines - A COBO* module-based reference layout board including high-density front panel Optical EMI shielding adapters, blind mating optical backplane interconnect and on-card optical cabling featuring FlexPlane technology will highlight how system vendors can implement COBO on board optical module-based architectures.
    * Visit the consortium for on board optics booth 5440 for COBO-related information.
  • Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable Double Density (QSFP-DD) System - This system will showcase how the eight-lane electrical interface operates up to 25 Gbps NRZ modulation or 56 Gbps PAM-4, with feasibility of 112 Gbps PAM-4, in support of the growth in future bandwidth needs.



The following demos are by appointment only. Please contact Molex to schedule.

  • 100G PAM-4 DWDM QSFP28 and 100G FR QSFP28 will demonstrate an industry leading 100G PAM-4 DWDM QSFP28 transceiver product solutions supporting data center interconnects, as well as high-bandwidth wireless and wireline back haul applications. To expand the reach of the DWDM transceiver, Molex will also showcase the subsystem, which features automatic span loss detection, gain compensation and dispersion compensation. In compliance with 100G Lambda Multi-Source (News - Alert) Agreement (MSA), Molex will demonstrate 100G FR QSFP28.
  • C+L band EDFA and Raman Amplifier with DGE will highlight how Dynamic Gain Equalizer (DGE) can greatly reduce accumulated gain error, eliminate dynamic gain ripple and lower the noise. Molex has developed a very compact and low-loss DGE that can be directly integrated into an amplifier module to improve its performance.
  • Mini-hybrid amplifier components for coherent signal boosting expand the mini-hybrid amplifier component offering with a series of new products that integrate more functions or in smaller form factors.

Molex will also participate in several speaking engagements and technical sessions:


  • The iNEMI Optoelectronics Technology Integration Group is hosting a one-day session coinciding with OFC 2018 on Monday, March 12th in room 22 on the upper level. During the afternoon working session, Tom Marrapode from Molex will co-present on the status of the Singlemode Expanded Beam Connector Board Level Optical Interconnects Project he leads. Session meetings are free and open to all interested parties. Registration for an OFC Exhibit Pass Plus badge is required.
  • Molex's Ryan Yu will join other industry experts in a panel discussion on 5G wireless optical technologies.
  • Molex will jointly release a white paper at OFC 2018 with other QSFP-DD MSA members on the topics of QSFP-DD module thermal management strategies and capabilities in high-performance.

As a founder-promoter of the QSFP-DD and the SFP-DD Multi-Source Agreement, Molex invites conference attendees to preview the following demonstration in the Ethernet Alliance (EA) booth 2648 and OIF (News - Alert) booth 5525:

  • SFP-DD MSA with Finisar will showcase the new SFP-DD electrical interface, which comprises a module and cage/connector system targeting support up to 3.5W optical modules in an enterprise environment. The innovative interface is designed to support two lanes that operate up to 25 Gbps NRZ or 56 Gbps PAM-4 per lane modulation - providing aggregate bandwidth of 50 Gbps NRZ or 112 Gbps PAM-4 with excellent signal integrity. In combination, an SFP-DD server port and QSFP-DD switch ports can effectively double port density in network applications. The SFP-DD port is backward compatible with legacy SFP and SFP+ style cables, modules and AOCs, and all new SFP-DD electrical interfaces.

Molex joins fellow OIF members attending OFC 2018 to demonstrate 112G Common Electrical Interface (CEI) solutions over a range of channel reaches and modulations. Live technology demonstrations featuring Molex solutions include:

  • CEI-56G VSR SerDes with Module demo incorporates multiple silicon supplier products operating over a 56 Gbps PAM-4 VSR (chip-to-module) link as per the recently released CEI 4.0 specification. This full link demo utilizes Molex's zQSFP, a CEI-56G-VSR interface, to electrically drive interoperating optical modules.
  • CEI-112G-LR SerDes: Passive Cables highlights the work by the OIF to define an interoperability standard for a serial electrical channel capable of driving 112 Gbps per lane. This demonstration, which establishes early stage feasibility for this topology, utilizes Molex's QSFP-DD (Double Density) passive copper cable.

Please visit the Molex booth at OFC 2018 or http://www.connector.com/solutions/ofc to explore next-generation, high-speed, high-density optical solutions. To learn more about how you can become a part of the Molex innovation, please visit booth 5344-CZT.

About Molex:

Molex brings together innovation and technology to deliver electronic solutions to customers worldwide. With a presence in more than 40 countries, Molex offers a full suite of solutions and services for many markets, including data communications, consumer electronics, medical, industrial, automotive and commercial vehicle. For more information, please visit www.molex.com.

Molex Resources:

Molex is a registered trademark of Molex, LLC in the United States of America and may be registered in other countries; all other trademarks listed herein belong to their respective owners.


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