Acacia/Cisco Silicon Photonic die in 400G QSFP-DD

• Acacia
• Cisco
• COM
• Innolight
• Intel
• Broadcom
• TSMC
• GlobalFoundries

According to Yole Group, the Silicon Photonics-based transceiver market will grow with a 2021-27 CAGR over 25%.

This full reverse costing study has been conducted to provide insight on the technology data, manufacturing cost, and selling price of FS’s 400G QSFP-DD Optical Transceiver, with a focus on the silicon photonic die.

• FS's 400G QSFP-DD is one of the first 400G optical transceivers on the market with the Acacia-Cisco silicon photonic die. It allows to communicate up to 2km in PSM4. The FS solution is based on the Broadcom BCM87400 DSP for the processor of input and output data.
• The TIA die and the modulator driver are from Acacia. The two dies are based on the same SiGe BiCMOS technology and are assembled in flip chip on the silicon photonic die.
• The light is generated by two continuous wave laser dies.
• All the other optical functions are performed by the silicon photonic die from Acacia-Cisco. On the receiver side, the four fibers are sent toward four SiGe photodiodes directly manufactured with the waveguide on the silicon photonic die. The photodiodes are used for the reception of the signals as well as to measure the feedback data of the four transmitter lines.
• The complex modulator has two stages: one at high frequency to modulate the signal, and a second on only one arm of the modulator in continuous mode to decrease the signal and create the four-level amplitude modulator.
• This report is an exhaustive analysis of the FS 400G QSFP-DD optical transceiver, including a full analysis of the laser die, silicon photonic die, TIA circuit, modulator laser driver circuit, and the PAM4 DSP circuit, along with a cost analysis and price estimate. A complete physical analysis with SEM pictures, cross-sections, and EDX analysis to identify the material was also performed to show all the technical characteristics of the main component of the optical transceiver.
• This report furnishes an understanding of the technological choices of Acacia (now Cisco). A comparison with the more standard solution of Innolight (without silicon photonic die and the Intel silicon photonic technology) is also included in this report.
• The other parts, such as electronic, optic, and housing, are equally estimated, and more details on the optical parts and the assembly are described in our report. Lastly, a cost estimation for assembly of the electronics and the optics was performed for this report.

Overview / Introduction

• Executive Summary
• Reverse Costing Methodology

Company Profile

• FS COM
• Cisco - Acacia

Market Analysis

• Ecosystem & forecast

Physical Analysis

• FS 400G QSFP-DD teardown 
  • Module views
  • Function identification
• Photonic block 
  • View, dimensions and cross-section
  • Fiber optic coupler, prism and rotator
  • Light way and lens
• Broadcom BCM87400 die 
  • Die overview and dimensions
  • Die process and cross-section
• Acacia silicon photonic die   
  • Fiber optic coupler
  • Light way
  • Sige photodiode
  • MZ modulator
• EEL CW InP laser
  • Laser process and cross-section
• Acacia laser driver die  
  • Die overview and dimensions
  • Die process and cross-section
• Acacia TIA die 
  • Die overview & dimensions
  • Die process and cross-section

Manufacturing Process 

• Broadcom BCM87400
• ACACIA Driver Flow & Unit
• ACACIA TIA Flow & Unit
• ACACIA SiPh Flow & Unit
• InP CW Laser Flow & Unit
• Transceiver Assembly Unit

Cost Analysis

• Cost Analysis Summary
• Yields Explanation & Hypotheses
• Broadcom BCM87400
• ACACIA Driver Die
• ACACIA TIA Die
• ACACIA SiPh Die
• InP CW Laser Die
• Optical Elements
• Transceiver BOM Cost
• Transceiver Assembly

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About Yole SystemPlus

Key Features:

• Detailed photos of the key components in the optical transceiver, with a focus on the silicon photonic die
• Precise measurements
• Materials analysis
• Manufacturing process flow
• Supply chain evaluation
• Manufacturing cost analysis
• Comparison with Intel’s photonic die and Innolight’s 400G PSM4 transceiver module