XLoom Unveils iFlame

SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- XLoom Communications, Inc. a developer of chip-scale optoelectronic interconnects, today introduced its iFlame™ optical chip, the first multi-channel, high-density, cost-effective, optical engine for grid computing and data center applications.

iFlame™, the industry's first chip-scale 4-channel optical transceiver, is aimed at data center applications running over InfiniBand, Ethernet and Fiber-Channel. The iFlame™ chip, implemented as an optical engine, enables high-speed, high-density, cost-effective interconnect applications such as Opto-electrical media converters, optical active connectors and cables as well as traditional transceivers such as the upcoming QSFP form factor.

The iFlame™, which is less than 1 square/CM in size, features an array of four state-of-the-art 850 nm VCSELs (Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers) and four photo-diodes for data rates of 1.25Gbps to 5Gbps per channel, for a total aggregate of up to 20Gbps.

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According to IDC, grid computing is becoming pervasive in the enterprise data center and high speed protocols, mainly InfiniBand, are gaining market share. These protocols are trying to break out of the limitations of using bulky copper cables that are both limited in reach and hard to handle.

"We know the industry is looking for high-density, cost-efficient, multi-channel optical solutions in their data center applications,” said David Sachs XLoom's CEO. "iFlame™ enables a multitude of low-cost optical products such as active optical cables, transceivers and small form factor optical interconnects. Our customers now have the opportunity to offer a variety of optical interconnects solutions by using iFlame™ as their optical engine, designing small form factor devices."

XLoom Communications Inc.