The continued demand in the market for 100G transceiver combined with the expected shift towards 400G which has already started, 100G single lambda QSFP28 modules are experiencing and increase in popularity. This article will explore how these new optics differ from the standard 100G QSFP28 modules as well as the benefits they offer.
Single Lambda QSFP28 vs. Traditional QSFP28
The traditional QSFP28 modules that have been used so far for 100G transmission use 4 parallel 25G lanes of different wavelengths to transmit the 100G signal. More specifically, the 4 electrical 25G lanes are converted into 4 optical 25G lanes which use the traditional NRZ optical modulation format.
As the name implies, the new single lambda QSFP28 modules transmit the 100G signal utilizing a single optical wavelength. In other words, the 4 electrical 25G lanes are combined into a single 100G optical lane with the help of the PAM4 optical modulation format.
Currently, the most common single lambda QSFP28 flavors on the market are the 100GBase-FR with a maximum reach of 2km and the 100GBase-LR which can achieve 10km reach.
Benefits of Single Lambda QSFP28
The main advantage of the single lambda QSFP28 is the reduced cost given that only one transmitter and one receiver are required (compared to 4 of each for the traditional QSFP28 modules).
The second notable advantage of the single lambda QSFP28 is that they offer a seamless transition patch towards 400G. For 400G transmission, a very common interface is the QSFP-DD module which uses 4 parallel optical lanes of 100G each.
GigOptics - Your Trusted Source for Optics
At GigOptics, we offer a wide range of optical transceivers including 100G Single Lambda QSFP28; all tested to ensure quality and reliability. For more information, contact us at info@gigoptics.com.