Coherent Announces General Availability of Industrial Temperature Range 100G ZR QSFP28-DCO Transceiver

PITTSBURGH, December 9, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – COHERENT Corp. (NYSE: COHR), a global leader in high-performance optical networking solutions, proudly announces the general availability and production release of the industry’s first 100G ZR QSFP28 digital coherent optics (DCO) transceiver to operate over the Industrial temperature (I-temp) range from -40℃ to +85℃.

Leveraging the unparalleled efficiency of Steelerton™ digital signal processor (DSP) technology from Coherent, the I-temp 100G ZR QSFP28-DCO module sets a new standard for low power consumption, operating at an industry-leading 5.5W in a highly compact form factor. The innovative Steelerton™ DSP that powers the 100G ZR module is integrated with an innovative silicon photonics optical front-end and a power-optimized tunable laser, based on the Indium Phosphide platform from Coherent. The combination of the proprietary DSP and optics designs delivers best-in-class power dissipation, demonstrating the value of vertical integration for superior performance and scalability.

“Following up on the successful launch of our C-temp 100G ZR QSFP28-DCO at ECOC 2024, we are now offering the I-temp version of this unique product for Edge and Access Networks, which is designed for use in an outdoor plant environment,” said Dr. Beck Mason, Executive Vice President, Telecommunications at Coherent Corp. “We are pleased with the strong customer demand across multiple market segments and are excited to scale commercial deployments with our partners globally. This milestone is another testament to the dedication of our team to deliver superior value and innovation for our customers.”

“10G DWDM is widely deployed at the edge of the network, but carriers are now searching for higher bandwidth 100G solutions. Low-power QSFP28 is required at the edge, and the Coherent 100ZR solution is well-positioned to be the format of choice for such upgrades,” said Scott Wilkinson, Lead Analyst at Cignal AI. “By offering the industrial temperature version of the product offering, Coherent expands the applications for this unique solution into more outside plant environments.”

“This I-temp 100G QSFP28 coherent transceiver serves a growing demand from our customers,” said Christoph Glingener, Chief Technology Officer of Adtran. “It enables operators to easily upgrade their edge and access networks in the outside plant from 10 Gbps to 100 Gbps data rates, while lowering both capital and operational expenses.” 

The I-temp 100G ZR QSFP28-DCO is available in variants supporting both the SFF-8636 and CMIS management interface standards, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of existing network infrastructures. The seamless upgrade path on deployed QSFP28-equipped devices and the 300 km dispersion-limited reach make the 100G ZR QSFP-DCO a versatile solution. Additionally, the integration of Flextune™ auto-tuning technology enables zero-touch provisioning, significantly simplifying network operations and reducing deployment complexity for carriers.

Image 1 100G ZR QSFP28 digital coherent optics (DCO) transceiver