Potential Applications of Plastic Optical Fibers … Applications of Plastic Optical Fibers (POF) For Commercial & Military Aircraft Paul Polishuk President, Information Gatekeepers,

Potential Applications of Plastic Optical Fibers (POF)

For Commercial & Military Aircraft

Paul PolishukPresident, Information Gatekeepers, Inc.

Co-Chair, Plastic Optical Fiber Trade Organization (POFTO)

June MeetingFiber Optics Subcommittee

May 2009 Meeting

2 © IGI Group 2009 - No Unauthorized Reproduction

Contents

• Recent Problems with Copper• Why the Interest in POF?• Recent Developments - 2008/2009• Standards• POF Markets• POF Comparison - Glass and Copper• POF Markets• POF Industry• Barriers to Growth• Conclusion• POFTO• POF Calendar


Recent Problems with Copper Cables(A Few Examples)

• A380 Airbus Wiring• American Airlines wiring Problem• Data Centers-weight and size• Supercomputers-weight and large size• Automotive-EMI, Weight• High power consumption• Wiring on multi-core chips• Chip synchronization• 10G and above


Copper Cables (Cont’d)

Source: Roadmap: Server Optical Interconnect Needs Dr. Alan F. Benner, IBMPresented at: Communication Technology Roadmap Meeting 2005

Under the NEC EarthSimulator

Behind the SGIColumbia

Inside the IBMFederation Switch


A few worst-casescenarios…

NEC Earth Simulator(during construction)

IBM Federation Cluster Switch(during development)

Source: Roadmap: Server Optical Interconnect Needs Dr. Alan F. Benner, IBMPresented at: Communication Technology Roadmap Meeting 2005

Copper Cables


There are two types of Plastic Optical Fiber (POF)

• PMMA - Step Index (SI) and Graded Index (GI)

• Perfluorinated POF (PF-GI POF)


Typical Loss Spectrum of PMMA


Typical Loss Spectrum of Perfluorinated POF


There is greater interest in POF due to:

• Market demand for lower costs, easy to use, robust, high speed, short distance

transmission media

• New companies entering the field

• POF consolidation is occurring.(Infineon & Avago)

• POF is a profitable business

• Killer Application – automobiles (MOST)

• New Technologies– Sources (RCLED, VCSEL.)– GI-POF– PF-GI-POF– SMI Connector– New Modulation Schemes

• Potential New Applications Evolving– Home networking– Consumer (IPTV)– Aircraft (IFE)– Data Centers– Supercomputers


SOME POF DEVELOPMENTS IN 2008/2009:

• 100G over 100 m of GI-POF(OFDM simulation)

• 30G over 30m of PF GI-POF at 1550 nm

• 1G over 1mm SI-POF

• Do-it-yourself POF kit for IPTV

• Connectionless POF

• Variety of Modulation schemes developed– 10 Mbps over 400 meters of 1 mm SI POF (4-PAM, 8-PAM)– 100 Mbps over 200 meters of 1 mm SI POF (4-PAM, 8-PAM)– 1 Gbps over 100 meters of 1mm SI-POF (Quatrature like mod.

Formats (QPSK, QAM-X)

• 10.7 Gbps over 220 meters PF GI-POF

• SMI connectors

• Fast Ethernet Transceivers using MOST technology


Market For POF In Various Fields( 2006 – 2011 )

Source: POF Market & Technology Assessment Study - 2008IGI Consulting, Inc.


POF v. Glass Optical Fiber

• Glass markets are limited to telecommunications: longdistances, high capacity, high speeds

• POF covers many industries such as automotive, consumer,industrial controls, medical, interconnectors, and homenetworking

• POF applications such as automotive have large volumes (10smillions) that insure economies of scale. There are no suchmarkets in Telecommunications.


Main Competitor of POF is Copper

• Copper has a well established base• There is a reluctance to change• The technology continues to improve (CAT 7, 10G etc)

but

• Copper links become more complicated at higher speeds• Copper runs out of speed at 20 Gbps+• Copper transceivers require more power• Copper size and weight are becoming issues• Copper prices continue to increase


While at the same time, with POF:

• Technology is improving• Prices coming down (i.e. MOST)• New applications are opening up• More robust• User friendly• Operates in the visible range


Legacy POF Markets:

• Industrial Control• Consumer digital audio video• Automotive• Medical• Premise Wiring• Interconnection


Some of the Emerging New Markets:

• Consumer- Home Networking- IPTV

• Aerospace• Aircraft• Military• Surveillance• Data Centers• Supercomputers• Interconnects

• IGI Consulting has identified 40new emerging markets for POF in a new study


Recent Applications of POF

Source:Race Car EngineeringJanuary 2008, pg. 70

racecar-engineering.com


POF in Racing Cars

• Menard Engines Of Indianapolis

• Main Reason was weight Savings-4kg

• Application replaces copper wiring harness connecting satellite datacollectors in the front and rear of the racing car-10-26 channels costsavings-copper wire harness cost $10,280.00 versus $2.00 forPOF!


Benefits of POF

• Weight savings• Fiber can be cut to length on site• Connectorless• Lowers parts count• Simplicity• Needs no special handling or training• Flexibility for installation


Legacy Companies:• Ratioplast-Optoelectronics GMBH

• Molex

• Motorola (Netopia)

• Avago Technologies (Infineon, Hewlet-Packard, Agilent)

• Mitsubishi Rayon

• Toray

• Asahi Kasei

• Toshiba


Some Examples of New Companies:

• Chromis Fiber Optics (U.S.)• Diemont (Germany)• Electronics Links International (U.S.)• Firecomms Ltd. (Ireland)• Dimoto (Australia)• Shenzhen Dasheng (China)• Luceat (Italy)• Nyce Technologies (Canada)


POF Growth Barriers• Standards

– This was a problem but with ISO/IEC POF standards things areimproving.

• Awareness of POF is still a major issue• Other technologies are fighting back - copper and glass.• Design engineers have to be shown how to use POF in their

applications.• There is a need for more Applications Centers


Conclusions

• POF’s time has come• Industry trends favor POF in certain

applications• Market opportunities are growing• More applications oriented research required

in all countries• Continued standards effort to promote

inclusion of POF needed


Goals of the Plastic Optical Fiber Trade Organization

• Promote the application of POF to end users and their communities

• Increase the awareness of POF

• Provide education on the economics and design capabilities of POF

• Develop POFTO chapters in every country

• Promote open competition between POF, copper , wireless, and glass opticalfiber

• Develop certification programs for installers

• Promote the inclusion of POF in all application areas

• Promote the development of POF standards and Inclusion in allappropriate standards


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Company (Combined)CorporateSmall CompanyIndividualUniversity

Membership

Total:36

Total:27

Total:45

Total:31

Total:31

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Total:41

Total:47


POFTO Members Include


Upcoming POF Related Events

The 18th International Conference on Plastic Optical Fibers (POF 2009)September 7-11, 2009 - Sydney, Australia

OFC/NFOEC 2010March 25-28, 2010 - San Diego, CA

MOST Forum 2010March 23, 2010 - Frankfurt, Germany

POFWORLD 2010June 2010 - Santa Clara , CA

The 19th International Conference on Plastic Optical Fibers (POF 2010)September 2010 - Yokohama, Japan


The 18th International Conference on Plastic Optical Fibers

September 7-11, 2009Dockside, Cockle Bay WharfOn Darling Harbour, Sydney, Australia

September 7 - 8, 2009 (The University of Sydney):

2nd International Workshop on POF modelling3rd international workshop on Microstructured Polymer Optical Fibres

September 8, 2009: Public Lecture (The University of Sydney)

September 9 - 11, 2009: Conference Program (Dockside)

Documents

Potential Applications of Plastic Optical Fibers … Applications of Plastic Optical Fibers (POF) For Commercial & Military Aircraft Paul Polishuk President, Information Gatekeepers,