POF interface card for ATM switching systems

Coaxial cable, UTP (Unsealed Twisted Pair Cable), and glass fiber have been used up to now as transmission media in private networks. However, coaxial cable and UTP need EMI countermeasures for high-speed signals, and glass fiber is difficult to handle as well as overspecialized and expensive. On the other hand, POF (Plastic Optical Fiber) attracts attention as a new type of transmission media which is inexpensive and does not need any EMI countermeasures. This media was adopted as the standard of physical layer for high-speed data transmission at the ATM Forum Meeting in May, 1997. We have developed the world's first line card for a small ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) switch ATOMIS using POF link which is inexpensive and easy to handle compared with glass fiber. The line card using POF link provides better total performance including cost than any line card using conventional transmission media, so it is expected to contribute greatly to market expansion. This paper describes the functions and main technologies of this newly developed line card.