TÜV NORD GROUP entwickelt optische Transceivermodule für schnelle Datenübertragung

Online meetings, cloud services and artificial intelligence are generating growing volumes of data. Optical transceivers, transceivers for optical signals in satellites, support higher data rates and reduce power consumption and costs per bit. The demand for corresponding products for satellite telecommunications is therefore rising sharply. The European Space Agency (ESA), with the support of the UK Space Agency (UKSA), has commissioned ALTER TECHNOLOGY UK, a TÜV NORD GROUP company, to develop an opto-electronic transceiver to meet this demand as part of the DISTINCT project.

“ALTER TECHNOLOGY is currently using its world-class capabilities at its Scottish sites in Livingston (ALTER TECHNOLOGY UK) and Glasgow (Photonics Design Centre) to design, manufacture and test next-generation optical transceivers, among other things. This will enable the TÜV NORD GROUP to drive forward the commercialization of high performance opto-electronic systems for the space market at full speed”, says Dr. Dirk Stenkamp, Chairman of the Board of Management of TÜV NORD AG.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is supporting the DISTINCT project as part of its ARTES program for advanced research in telecommunications systems, which promotes innovative satellite telecommunications products and technologies. The DISTINCT project has a duration of 36 months and a budget of €1.3 million for ALTER TECHNOLOGY UK as prime contractor and the two not-for-profit partners - the Fraunhofer UK Centre for Applied Photonics (CAP) and the government body Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult (CSA Catapult).

“In line with the increasing demand for data and bandwidth from terrestrial data centers, very high throughput telecommunications satellites are facing similar demands, with massive bandwidth and data transfer requirements in the order of tens of terabits per second within digital process payloads. At this bandwidth, traditional electronic interconnect technologies are no longer fit for purpose and the only practical solution is optical transceivers,” explains Stephen Duffy, Managing Director of ALTER TECHNOLOGY UK. “We are grateful for the support of UKSA and ESA and for our partners in this exciting project.”

The DISTINCT project will develop a space-qualified optical transceiver module with state-of-the-art power efficiency on a flexible platform. The project will deliver modules operating at 28 or 56 gigabits per second, with 4, 8 or 12 channels and options for integrated or separate Tx and Rx functions. “ALTER TECHNOLOGY has already demonstrated optical transceiver technology for 28 GB/s per channel solutions as part of the EU SIPHODIAS project, and we are ideally placed to extend this technology to 56 GB/s at our Design Centre in Glasgow, while meeting the demanding requirements of the space and high reliability markets,” said Dr. Una Marvet, Photonics Design Centre Director at ALTER TECHNOLOGY UK.

The three-year project will combine ALTER TECHNOLOGY UK's experience in the design and assembly of space operations equipment with new expertise in microelectronics and photonics. ALTER TECHNOLOGY UK will design, validate and manufacture the module and Fraunhofer UK CAP will support the development of the optical engine for the platform, which will provide the high-speed optical coupling required for operation. The CSA Catapult will support the validation and testing of the components using high speed communication test equipment and environmental test systems. ALTER TECHNOLOGY UK will use its space-ready design philosophy to deliver a product that is ready for volume production after the project.

ALTER TECHNOLOGY UK

ALTER TECHNOLOGY UK specializes in package design and precision assembly for a wide range of photonic and microelectronic devices, from rapid prototyping to volume production. As part of the TÜV NORD GROUP, the company continues to invest in state of the art facilities and process research to support customer demand and drive its own technology roadmap. The ALTER TECHNOLOGY GROUP also has laboratories in Spain and France offering a comprehensive range of testing and qualification services for components and small systems (including small satellites and drones).

Fraunhofer UK

Fraunhofer UK is a not-for-profit Research and Technology Organization (RTO) whose mission is to provide professional R&D services for the benefit of UK industry. The Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics (FhCAP) is the operational arm of Fraunhofer UK. FhCAP provides professional R&D services to industry as a flexible and practical resource that responds to the needs of businesses in the development of photonics technologies. FhCAP addresses a wide range of photonics applications in areas such as renewable energy, security, environmental monitoring, sensing, space, life sciences and quantum technologies. The main objective of Fraunhofer CAP is to conduct industry-oriented research to enable new or improved products and processes for industrial partners.

CSA Catapult

Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult was established in 2018 by Innovate UK to help the UK become a world leader in compound semiconductors by working with large companies and start-ups to develop and commercialize new applications. CSA Catapult is the UK authority on compound semiconductor applications and commercialization. CSA Catapult is a center of excellence with state of the art facilities specializing in the measurement, characterization, integration and validation of compound semiconductor technologies. CSA Catapult has a world-leading team of experts with extensive knowledge and experience in compound semiconductor technologies, applications and commercialization.

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