BERLIN, Germany, January 12, 2010 : VI Systems GmbH, a leader in ultra-high speed engines for data- and tele-communications reported the successful realization of the challenging goals of the HiTrans Project that was supported and managed by one of the major banks in Berlin (IBB). In this project VI Systems coordinated and led the efforts to develop serial 40 Gbit/s fiber-coupled small form-factor TO-can receiver and transmitter modules and including several related electro-optic components. The research consortium included national and international companies with particular expertise in their technical fields: Europe’s leading GaAs epi-wafer foundry, a leading foundry for silicon-germanium-based BiCMOS integrated circuits, a high volume manufacturing partner with expertise in flip-chip and wire bonding process steps and the German technical universities of Berlin (TUB) and Dresden TUD)        

 Within the project integrated circuits (ICs) for current or electro-optically modulated lasers, and limiting transimpedance amplifier ICs for the PDs have been developed and prototyped.  A high-frequency (40 GHz) transmitter and receiver packaging based on the proprietary integrated-packaging approach of VI Systems for flip-chip and wirebond sub-assemblies was completed. And the characterization of data transmission at ultrahigh data bit rates by using the latest high-frequency test equipment, and microwave and optical characterization techniques were performed. In the end the project partners demonstrated error-free data bit transmission over multimode fiber at 40 Gbit/s using the developed subassemblies and fiber-coupled modules. The power consumption of the receiver and transmitter modules is below 150 mW allowing integration into standard commercial SFP (small form-factor pluggable) transceivers. Additionally the small size (<6 mm x 6 mm) and the power consumption levels of the new prototype modules allows their integration into QSFP (quad small form-factor pluggable) transceivers with SerDes ICs, all at an expected low power consumption of 3W per module. The production of both single- and multi-mode fiber versions of the QSFP transceiver is possible.