Introduction of CFP Transceiver Modules

What is CFP Package?
The CFP, short for C form-factor pluggable, is a multi-source agreement to define the form-factor of the optical transceiver for high-speed digital signal transmission. CFP package has the advantages of hot plugging, relatively small size, good thermal performanceand high power. It can replace the SMA packagecompletely. This package meets the CFP MSA protocol standard, which defines the hardware interface specifications and management interface specifications of CFP optical modules with different rates.

At the beginning, since the electrical interface of single-channel 25Gb/s was technically difficult, the CFP electrical interface rate adopted 10Gb/s, that is, the CFP package can achieve 40G /100G transmissionthrough 4*10Gb/s or 10*10Gb/s electrical interface, mainly used for 40G, 100G and other applications. CFP transceivers can support a single 100G optical signal, OTU4; and one or more 40G signals, OTU3 or STM-256/OC-768.

100G CFPTransceiver Module
The 100G CFP optical transceiver module is the first generation of 100G optical transceiver module, which is large in size and supports transmission at various rates, protocols, and link lengths on single-mode and multi-mode fibers, including all physical media related in the IEEE802.3ba standard ( PMD) interface. The 100G CFP optical module has different models, for example, 100GBASE-LR4 CFP optical transceiver module can complete 10km signal transmission on single-mode fiber, 100GBASE-ER10 CFP optical module and 100GBASE-ER4 CFP optical module can complete 40km signal transmission on single-mode fiber. These types of CFP optical transceiver modules can be used in data center construction.

100G CFP2 Transceiver Module
100G CFP2 optical transceiver module is only a half size of 100G CFP optical tranceiver module. It supports 10 10G channels, 4*25G channels, 8*25G channels and 8*50G channels, so it is often used in 100G Ethernet interconnection links. Compared with 100G CFP optical modules, 100G CFP2 optical modules have higher transmission efficiency, smaller volume, and are more suitable for high-density wiring.

100G CFP4 Transceiver Module
100G CFP4 transceiver module is a quarter of the size of 100G CFP optical transceiver module, and there are also single mode and multi-mode options. 100G CFP optical transceiver module achieved 100G transmission rate through 10 10G channels in the early time, while the current 100G CFP4 optical module can achieve 100G transmission through 4*25G channels, so the transmission efficiency is higher and the stability is stronger. And the power consumption is also improved. Compared with 100G CFP2 optical modules, the cost of 100G CFP4 optical modules is lower. The 100G CFP4 optical transceiver module can support 4*10G channel transmission, and can be used for 40G/100G Ethernet transmission and remote communication, etc.

100G CFP8 Transceiver Module
100G CFP8 optical transceiver module is an extension of the 100G CFP4 optical module. The number of channels is increased to 8 channels, and the size is also increased accordingly. It is similar to CFP2, 40mmx102mmx9.5mm. Compared with the existing 100G transmission scheme, the 100G CFP8 optical module can provide more than four times the bandwidth, usually using 16 parallel 25G signals or 8*50G parallel signals. Compared with using 8*50G parallel signals, 16*25G parallel signals use more lasers, so the cost is higher. The 100G CFP8 optical module has a compact structure and low power consumption. Generally speaking, it is a solution with high port density and high bandwidth.