Optics Are No Longer An Illusion
Introduction by Bob Hult, Bishop & Associates Inc.

The conversion from copper to fiber optic links is estimated to occur within the next four years—and that prediction has been in place for at least the past 15 years. Engineers have been remarkably successful in finding new ways to extend the useful bandwidth of copper, effectively delaying the implementation of fiber. The physics of copper transmission lines have been thoroughly documented, and years of successful design and manufacturing experience have provided a strong incentive to resist dramatic change. That scenario may finally be changing.

The effective length of high-speed copper cables has been decreasing over the past three years, as the cost of precision manufactured cable and active signal conditioning devices has gone up. At the same time, the cost of fiber, electro-optic conversion devices, and connectors have been dropping. Fiber optic cable is now more rugged and capable of small radius bends, while the connectorization process has been greatly simplified.

Industry demand for ever-higher data rates, that may exceed 100 Gb/s, may finally be tilting the scale toward fiber optics. “Future proofing” equipment has become an important design criteria. Converting to fiber offers the advantage of tremendous bandwidth headroom, sufficient to support several future generations of equipment. At the same time, users gain the advantages of reduced cable weight and bulk, immunity from electromagnetic interference, and electrostatic discharge. Voltage isolation from box to box is assured. It is nearly impossible to tap a fiber optic link without detection, making systems that communicate on fiber optic links much more secure.

Equipment manufacturers that utilize VITA standards and the military are logical first adopters of optic links, as their typical applications will take advantage of the unique features fiber optic technology offers. As experience builds, and the cost of components continues to decline, more commercial, and eventually consumer, markets will likely follow. The decision by both groups to establish formal study groups may be the first step in a broad market adoption of fiber optic interconnects.

As VITA announced its VITA optical study group on March 9, the U.S. Air Force prepared an announcement about their new optical group. Looks like now is the time for fiber optics.

VITA Issues Call for Participation to Research Optical Architectures
Study group to focus on innovation that enables architectures for high-density optical interconnects in critical embedded systems.

March 2010—VITA, the trade association dedicated to fostering American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited open system architectures in critical embedded system applications, has formed the VITA Architectures for Optical (VAO) Study Group to research high-density optical interconnect technology and develop a proposal for next-generation architectures for critical embedded systems. A call for participation goes to non-VITA members to make presentations and participate in discussions with the study group. A study group is the initial step in the process of developing an ANSI/VITA standard.

VITA members recognize the need for higher density and higher performing interconnect technologies to meet the speeds of 10 gigabit (and higher) serial channels that will be used in next-generation critical embedded systems. As the transfer rates continue to increase, it is clear that optical technology offers many advantages. Since optical interconnects work best as a point-to-point connection, future systems are going to need much higher density, supporting hundreds of connections in a single-board or line-replaceable unit (LRU).

Member comments:

“Aitech is following the application of high-density interconnects in critical embedded systems very closely to ensure that what we deliver provides the very highest levels of computing system integrity, reliability, and availability used by our war fighters. The application and adaptation of commercial electronics for defense, aerospace, and space requires that ultimate attention be paid to long-term effects. Aitech will continue to forge new areas of high-speed computing, including those using optical technologies, which are surely the next technology wave front.”

—Doug Patterson, vice president, international sales and marketing,

Aitech Defense Systems Inc.

www.rugged.com

“Themis has been deploying bladed servers with industry-leading SWaP and thermal and kinetic management for more than five years. These products have internal 40-Gbit fabrics on copper backplanes. Chassis are interconnected by 10-Gbit fiber, using port aggregation to support required data rates. We’ve been very vocal in VITA promoting optical interconnects and we lend our full support to researching new high-density optical interconnect technology.”

—Bill Kehret, CEO, Themis Computer

www.themis.com

Achieving the projected level of combined performance and connector density is no easy challenge. The lead time to develop technologies and supporting specifications is very long. To that end, VITA is launching a study group to research potential technologies and propose an architecture that could become part of future solutions.

“VITA recognizes the challenges of optical technology and feels that work needs to begin now to ensure the right solutions in the future,” said Ray Alderman, executive director of VITA. “VITA anticipates that systems in the future will depend heavily on cost-effective, high-density optical interconnect technology.”

The mission of the VITA Architectures for Optical Study Group is to research and determine the feasibility of developing a standard architecture for optical interconnects suitable for deployment in critical embedded systems. The study group will focus on high-density options for backplanes and connections between line-replaceable units, mezzanines, and daughter cards. Critical embedded systems are high-performance, distributed computing systems, and they manage high bandwidth I/O, involve real-time processing, and are environmentally constrained in size, weight, and power (SWaP).

A study group explores the needs and ascertains the interest in developing a standard. A study group can move to “working group” status by meeting defined working group formation criteria.

Existing standards and those under development by Standards Developing Organizations (SDOs), and appropriate industry alliances, community collaboration efforts, and other groups will be used whenever practical. The Study Group will proactively reach out to such groups to facilitate their early involvement.

Individuals and companies that are interested in participating should contact exec@vita.com,

To track information related to optical technology, visit www.vita.com/voa.

About VITA
Founded in 1984, VITA is an incorporated, non-profit organization of suppliers and users who share a common market interest in critical embedded systems. VITA champions open system architectures. Its activities are international in scope, technical, promotional, and user-centric. VITA aims to increase total market size for its members, expand market exposure for suppliers, and deliver timely technical information. VITA has ANSI and IEC accreditation to develop standards (VME, VXS, VPX, OpenVPXTM, XMC, FMC, etc) for embedded systems used in a myriad of critical applications and harsh environments. For further information, visit www.vita.com.

Air Force Researchers to Speed Optical Interconnect Development for Chips, Boards, and Systems
March 2010—U.S. Air Force researchers are asking industry to improve photonics interconnect manufacturing technology to hasten the future use of optical interconnects for chip-to-chip, board-to-board, and system-to-system high-speed optical computing.

The Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, released a broad agency announcement (BAA-10-10-PKM) for the $2.4 million Photonics Manufacturing Program to find ways to cut costs, speed development, and increase availability of photonics interconnect technology for military applications.

The goal is to hasten the maturity of optical interconnect technology so Air Force leaders can introduce it quickly in their inventory of weapons. Funding for the three-year program is $400,000 in 2010, $1 million in 2011, and $1 million in 2012.

In charge of this research initiative are scientists in the Manufacturing Technology Division of the Air Force Research Lab’s Materials and Manufacturing Directorate at Wright-Patterson. Companies interested must respond no later than April 26, 2010.

The Photonics Manufacturing Program seeks to identify and meet the manufacturing challenges of producing militarized, high bandwidth photonics interconnect technology to enhance the affordability and capability of militarized photonics interconnect technology for current and future Air Force weapon systems.

Air Force ground, air, and space systems are processing greater and greater amounts of data and information, which requires increased interconnect communications bandwidths at intra-module (chip-to-chip), inter-module (board-to-board), and system (system-to-system) levels, Air Force researchers say.

Photonics interconnect technology can meet these needs, yet manufacturing process improvements are necessary to make the technology more producible and affordable for Air Force applications.

Proposals should show how photonics interconnection technology solutions migrate from chip levels to system levels for future bandwidth requirements. Proposed solutions must include anticipated technology insertions into Air Force weapon systems for the next five years.

Researchers want proposals for true insertion dates—not transition opportunities—as well as Air Force weapon system office endorsements.

Phase-zero of the Photonics Manufacturing Program will be a six to eight month study to identify current and future Air Force photonics interconnect requirements; identify Air Force users and get their endorsements; and identify manufacturing solutions.

Phase-one will be a 15- to 17-month effort to address manufacturability issues; conduct at least three manufacturing readiness assessments (MRAs); set up a manufacturing strategy; and conduct a program review. Air Force researchers expect to make contract awards by July 1, 2010.

Send proposals by April 26, 2010 to Scott Savory at scott.savory@wpafb.af.mil, or by post at Det 1 AFRL/PKMT, Bldg. 167, 2310 8th St., Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7801. You may also contact Scott at 937.656.9001.

For technical questions and concerns, contact Greg Cazzell at 937.904.4599, greg.cazzell@wpafb.af.mil, or AFRL/RXMT, Bldg. 653, Rm. 201, 2977 Hobson