Active optical cable

Abstract

This utility model relates to an active optical cable, which includes a pluggable optical connector and two optical modules for liquid-cooled immersion environments. The two optical modules have N channels between them. Each optical module includes a digital signal processing (DSP) chip with N / 2 channels. The first optical module is connected to the first end of the pluggable optical connector, and the second optical module is connected to the second end of the pluggable optical connector. Because this embodiment halves the number of channels in the DSP chip, the power consumption and cost of the active optical cable can be reduced. Furthermore, since it includes two optical modules for liquid-cooled immersion environments, it is suitable for use in such environments.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of optical communication technology, and in particular to an active optical cable. Background Technology

[0002] Liquid cooling is a technology that uses a liquid as a cooling medium to exchange heat with and dissipate heat from heat-generating components; this liquid is called a coolant. Immersion liquid cooling technology uses a liquid as a heat transfer medium, with the entire heat-generating component immersed in the coolant, exchanging heat through direct contact and the flow of the coolant. With the surge in transmission rates and computing power demands of 400G / 800G data centers, the introduction of various optical and electrical signal compensation technologies has led to increasingly higher power densities per rack. The PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) of traditional air-cooled technology is generally above 1.8, which is gradually failing to meet heat dissipation requirements. In recent years, 400G / 800G AI data centers have introduced high-efficiency liquid cooling technology, and immersion liquid cooling technology can further improve the PUE to below 1.1, representing the development direction of green and energy-saving data centers.

[0003] In traditional technology, a data cable that interconnects two optical modules via a direct-connect optical fiber and performs electro-optical and photoelectric signal conversion is called an active optical cable (AOC). However, this type of active optical cable is not suitable for liquid-cooled immersion environments and has high power consumption and cost. Therefore, how to provide an active optical cable that is suitable for liquid-cooled immersion environments and can reduce power consumption and cost has become an urgent technical problem to be solved. Utility Model Content

[0004] This application provides an active optical cable that is suitable for liquid-cooled immersion environments and can reduce power consumption and cost.

[0005] An active optical cable includes a pluggable optical connector and two optical modules for use in a liquid-cooled immersion environment. The two optical modules have N channels between them. Each optical module includes a digital signal processing (DSP) chip with N / 2 channels. The first optical module is connected to the first end of the pluggable optical connector, and the second optical module is connected to the second end of the pluggable optical connector.

[0006] In one embodiment, the active optical cable further includes two first male connectors, two second male connectors, a first branch fiber optic patch cord, and a second branch fiber optic patch cord;

[0007] The first optical module is connected to two first male connectors via a first branch fiber optic patch cord;

[0008] The second optical module is connected to two second male connectors via a second branch fiber optic patch cord.

[0009] The two first male connectors are connected to the two second male connectors via pluggable optical connectors.

[0010] In one embodiment, the pluggable optical connector includes a first pluggable optical connector and a second pluggable optical connector;

[0011] One of the two first male connectors is connected to the first end of the first pluggable optical connector, and one of the two second male connectors is connected to the second end of the first pluggable optical connector;

[0012] One of the two first male connectors is connected to the first end of the second pluggable optical connector, and the other of the two second male connectors is connected to the second end of the second pluggable optical connector.

[0013] In one embodiment, the first optical module of the two optical modules further includes a first transmitting gold finger with N channels and a first transmitting optical engine, and the first transmitting gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the first transmitting optical engine with the corresponding N / 2 channels;

[0014] The first transmitting gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the DSP chip in the first optical module, and the DSP chip in the first optical module is connected to the first transmitting optical engine of the other N / 2 channels.

[0015] In one embodiment, the first optical module further includes a first receiving gold finger with N channels and a first receiving optical engine, the first receiving gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the DSP chip in the first optical module, and the DSP chip in the first optical module is connected to the first receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels.

[0016] The first receiving gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the first receiving optical engines of the other N / 2 channels.

[0017] In one embodiment, the second optical module of the two optical modules further includes a second receiving gold finger and a second receiving optical engine with N channels, the second receiving gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the DSP chip in the second optical module, and the DSP chip in the second optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels.

[0018] The second receiving gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the second receiving optical engines of the other N / 2 channels;

[0019] The first transmitting optical engine with N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels in the second optical module;

[0020] The first transmitting optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the second optical module.

[0021] In one embodiment, the second optical module of the two optical modules further includes a second transmitting gold finger with N channels and a second transmitting optical engine, and the second transmitting gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the second transmitting optical engine with N / 2 channels;

[0022] The second transmission gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the DSP chip in the second optical module, and the DSP chip in the second optical module is connected to the second transmission optical engine of the other N / 2 channels;

[0023] The first receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second transmitting optical engine with N / 2 channels in the second optical module;

[0024] The first receiving optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second transmitting optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the second optical module.

[0025] In one embodiment, the optical module includes components and a housing, the housing including a bottom shell and a top cover, and the components are disposed inside the housing;

[0026] A first groove is provided at a first position on the inner wall of the bottom shell, and a second groove is provided at a second position on the top cover corresponding to the first position. The cavity formed by the first groove and the second groove after fitting together is filled with sealant.

[0027] The mounting gaps between the housing and the PCBA board in the components are filled with sealant, as are the mounting gaps between the housing and the fiber optic clips in the components.

[0028] In one embodiment, the first groove and the second groove are Z-shaped grooves, and the first groove and the second groove fit together to form a Z-shaped receiving cavity.

[0029] In one embodiment, the first groove and the second groove are L-shaped grooves, and the first groove and the second groove fit together to form an L-shaped receiving cavity.

[0030] The active optical cable provided in this application includes a pluggable optical connector and two optical modules for liquid-cooled immersion environments. Each optical module includes a four-channel DSP chip. The first optical module is connected to the first end of the pluggable optical connector, and the second optical module is connected to the second end of the pluggable optical connector. In conventional technologies, one optical module requires either one eight-channel DSP chip or two four-channel DSP chips, resulting in high power consumption and cost. This embodiment reduces the power consumption and cost of the active optical cable by halving the number of channels in the DSP chip. Furthermore, since it includes two optical modules for liquid-cooled immersion environments, it is suitable for such applications. Furthermore, in a typical active optical cable, two optical modules are directly connected via optical fiber. If a malfunction is found in one of the optical modules during production testing or normal use, it is impossible to pinpoint whether the problem lies with the transmission of one optical module or the reception of the other. This necessitates the removal of both optical modules for defect analysis and repair, wasting manpower and resources. In contrast, in this embodiment, both optical modules are connected to pluggable optical connectors to form an active optical cable, making it easier to remove the optical modules, locate the problem, and save manpower and resources. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the active optical cable provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of the active optical cable provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 3 This is the third schematic diagram of the active optical cable provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a side view of an optical module for use in a liquid-cooled immersion environment, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0035] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the mating coupling of the AOC MPO connector for active optical cables provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0036] Figure 6 This is a perspective view of a 3D model of the active optical cable (AOC) in coolant provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0037] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the optical coupling efficiency of the active optical cable (AOC) provided in this application embodiment in an air environment;

[0038] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the optical coupling efficiency of the active optical cable AOC provided in this application embodiment in a liquid-cooled environment.

[0039] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0040] First male connector 21, second male connector 22, first branch fiber optic patch cord 23;

[0041] Second branch fiber optic patch cord 24, first optical module 25, second optical module 26;

[0042] First pluggable optical connector 271, second pluggable optical connector 272;

[0043] Top cover 01, bottom shell 02, PCBA 06;

[0044] DSP chip 07, driver chip 08, heat sink copper block 09; first light engine 10, second light engine 11;

[0045] 12. Clip, 13. Pull ring, 14. Optical cable sheath, 15. Tail sleeve, 16. Optical fiber, 17. Optical fiber crimping;

[0046] MPO12 ferrule 18. Detailed Implementation

[0047] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of this utility model more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this utility model will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a full understanding of this utility model. However, this utility model can be implemented in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of this utility model. Therefore, this utility model is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0048] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and are not intended to indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this utility model.

[0049] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this utility model, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0050] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model according to the specific circumstances.

[0051] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0052] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0053] Reference Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is one of the structural schematic diagrams of the active optical cable provided in the embodiments of this application. The active optical cable includes a pluggable optical connector and two optical modules for use in liquid-cooled immersion environments. Each optical module includes a four-channel DSP chip. The first optical module of the two optical modules is connected to the first end of the pluggable optical connector, and the second optical module of the two optical modules is connected to the second end of the pluggable optical connector.

[0054] in, Figure 1 The two optical modules shown are optical module A and optical module B. Optical module A and optical module B include Rx channels and TX channels. Rx is an abbreviation for "Receive," representing the reception of signals. Tx is an abbreviation for "Transmit," representing the transmission of signals.

[0055] In one possible implementation, the optical module in this application embodiment can be a fiber optic patch cord with high sealing and including a male connector, wherein the high sealing is for application in a liquid-cooled immersion environment, the male connector of the first optical module (e.g., optical module A) can be connected to the first end of a pluggable optical connector, and the second optical module (e.g., optical module B) can be connected to the second end of a pluggable optical connector.

[0056] In another possible implementation, the optical module in this embodiment can be a highly sealed optical module, and is connected to a pluggable optical connector via fiber optic patch cords and male connectors. That is, the optical module may not include fiber optic patch cords and male connectors, but is connected to a pluggable optical connector via fiber optic patch cords and male connectors located outside the optical module.

[0057] One approach is to seal the optical module using currently known technologies to create a highly sealed optical module, or to use other methods to seal the optical module to create a highly sealed optical module.

[0058] Taking an 800G OSFP immersion liquid-cooled active optical cable as an example, the pluggable optical connector in this embodiment may include an Angled Polished Connector (APC) for 12-fiber (Multi-fiber Push On 12-fibers, MPO12) fibers. MPO is a multi-fiber connector standard that uses a push-pull pluggable structure for convenient and quick connection. It can connect multiple fibers simultaneously and is commonly used in scenarios such as data centers where high-density fiber optic connections are required. It can improve fiber optic cabling efficiency, save space, and support high-speed data transmission. High-speed optical modules such as 40G and 100G are often used with MPO connectors.

[0059] The active optical cable in this embodiment includes a pluggable optical connector and two optical modules for liquid-cooled immersion environments. There are N channels between the two optical modules. Each optical module includes a digital signal processing (DSP) chip with N / 2 channels. The first optical module is connected to the first end of the pluggable optical connector, and the second optical module is connected to the second end of the pluggable optical connector. In conventional technologies, one optical module requires either one DSP chip with N channels or two DSP chips with N / 2 channels, resulting in high power consumption and cost. This embodiment reduces the power consumption and cost of the active optical cable by halving the number of channels in the DSP chip. Furthermore, since it includes two optical modules for liquid-cooled immersion environments, it is suitable for such applications. Furthermore, in a typical active optical cable, two optical modules are directly connected via optical fiber. If a malfunction is found in one of the optical modules during production testing or normal use, it is impossible to pinpoint whether the problem lies with the transmission of one optical module or the reception of the other. This necessitates the removal of both optical modules for defect analysis and repair, wasting manpower and resources. In contrast, in this embodiment, both optical modules are connected to pluggable optical connectors to form an active optical cable, making it easier to remove the optical modules, locate the problem, and save manpower and resources.

[0060] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, Figure 2 This is a second schematic diagram of the structure of the active optical cable provided in the embodiments of this application. The active optical cable further includes two first male connectors 21, two second male connectors 22, a first branch fiber patch cord 23, and a second branch fiber patch cord 24.

[0061] The first optical module 25 is connected to two first male connectors 21 via a first branch fiber optic patch cord 23;

[0062] The second optical module 26 is connected to two second male connectors 22 via a second branch fiber optic patch cord 24;

[0063] Two first male connectors 21 are connected to two second male connectors 22 via pluggable optical connectors.

[0064] In this embodiment, the first branch fiber optic patch cord and the second branch fiber optic patch cord can be 8-channel fiber optic patch cords.

[0065] In one embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the pluggable optical connector includes a first pluggable optical connector 271 and a second pluggable optical connector 272.

[0066] One of the two first male connectors 21 is connected to the first end of the first pluggable optical connector 271, and one of the two second male connectors 22 is connected to the second end of the first pluggable optical connector 271.

[0067] One of the two first male connectors 21 is connected to the first end of the second pluggable optical connector 272, and the other of the two second male connectors 22 is connected to the second end of the second pluggable optical connector 272.

[0068] In one embodiment, the first optical module of the two optical modules further includes a first transmitting gold finger with N channels and a first transmitting optical engine, wherein the first transmitting gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the first transmitting optical engine with the corresponding N / 2 channels;

[0069] The first transmitting gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the DSP chip in the first optical module, and the DSP chip in the first optical module is connected to the first transmitting optical engine of the other N / 2 channels.

[0070] like Figure 3 As shown, Figure 3 This is the third schematic diagram of the active optical cable provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 3 Taking N=8 as an example, the first optical module in the two optical modules also includes a first transmitting gold finger and a first transmitting optical engine with 8 channels. The first transmitting gold finger with 4 channels is connected to the corresponding first transmitting optical engine Tx1-4 with 4 channels.

[0071] The first transmitting gold fingers of the other four channels are connected to the DSP chip in the first optical module, and the DSP chip in the first optical module is connected to the first transmitting optical engine Tx5-8 of the other four channels.

[0072] In this embodiment, the first optical module only requires one DSP chip with N / 2 channels to achieve the transmission of N channel signals, thereby reducing the power consumption and cost of the first optical module.

[0073] In one embodiment, the first optical module further includes a first receiving gold finger with N channels and a first receiving optical engine, the first receiving gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the DSP chip in the first optical module, and the DSP chip in the first optical module is connected to the first receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels.

[0074] The first receiving gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the first receiving optical engines of the other N / 2 channels.

[0075] like Figure 3As shown, the first optical module also includes a first receiving gold finger with 8 channels and a first receiving optical engine. The first receiving gold finger with 4 channels is connected to the DSP chip in the first optical module, and the DSP chip in the first optical module is connected to the first receiving optical engine Rx1-4 with 4 channels.

[0076] The first receiving gold fingers of the other four channels are connected to the first receiving optical engines Rx5-8 of the other four channels.

[0077] In this embodiment, the first optical module only requires one DSP chip with N / 2 channels to achieve the transmission of N channel signals, thereby reducing the power consumption and cost of the first optical module.

[0078] In one embodiment, the second optical module of the two optical modules further includes a second receiving gold finger with N channels and a second receiving optical engine, the second receiving gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the DSP chip in the second optical module, and the DSP chip in the second optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels.

[0079] The second receiving gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the second receiving optical engines of the other N / 2 channels;

[0080] The first transmitting optical engine with N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels in the second optical module;

[0081] The first transmitting optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the second optical module.

[0082] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the second optical module in the two optical modules also includes a second receiving gold finger with 8 channels and a second receiving optical engine. The second receiving gold finger with 4 channels is connected to the DSP chip in the second optical module, and the DSP chip in the second optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine Rx1-4 with 4 channels.

[0083] The second receiving gold fingers of the other four channels are connected to the second receiving optical engines Rx5-8 of the other four channels;

[0084] The first transmitting optical engine Tx1-4 with four channels in the first optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine Rx1-4 with four channels in the second optical module;

[0085] The first transmitting optical engine Tx5-8 of the other four channels in the first optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine Rx5-8 of the other four channels in the second optical module.

[0086] In this embodiment, each optical module of the active optical cable only requires one 4-channel DSP chip to achieve the transmission of 8-channel 112G PAM4 signals, while conventional AOC product technology solutions require one 8-channel DSP chip or two 4-channel DSP chips per optical module. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce power consumption and cost.

[0087] In this embodiment, the first optical module and the second optical module only require one DSP chip with N / 2 channels to achieve the transmission of N channel signals, thereby reducing the power consumption and cost of the first optical module and the second optical module.

[0088] In one embodiment, the second optical module of the two optical modules further includes a second emission gold finger with N channels and a second emission optical engine, and the second emission gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the second emission optical engine with N / 2 channels;

[0089] The second transmission gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the DSP chip in the second optical module, and the DSP chip in the second optical module is connected to the second transmission optical engine of the other N / 2 channels;

[0090] The first receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second transmitting optical engine with N / 2 channels in the second optical module;

[0091] The first receiving optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second transmitting optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the second optical module.

[0092] For example, such as Figure 3 As shown, the second optical module in the two optical modules also includes a second emission gold finger with 8 channels and a second emission optical engine, and the second emission gold finger with 4 channels is connected to the second emission optical engine Tx1-4 with 4 channels;

[0093] The second transmission gold fingers of the other four channels are connected to the DSP chip in the second optical module, and the DSP chip in the second optical module is connected to the second transmission optical engine Tx5-8 of the other four channels;

[0094] The first receiving optical engine Rx1-4 with four channels in the first optical module is connected to the second transmitting optical engine Tx1-4 with four channels in the second optical module;

[0095] The first receiving optical engine Rx5-8 of the other four channels in the first optical module is connected to the second transmitting optical engine Tx5-8 of the other four channels in the second optical module.

[0096] In this embodiment, each optical module of the active optical cable only requires one 4-channel DSP chip to achieve the transmission of 8-channel 112G PAM4 signals, while conventional AOC product technology solutions require one 8-channel DSP chip or two 4-channel DSP chips per optical module. Therefore, this embodiment can reduce power consumption and cost.

[0097] In this embodiment, the first optical module and the second optical module only require one DSP chip with N / 2 channels to achieve the transmission of N channel signals, thereby reducing the power consumption and cost of the first optical module and the second optical module.

[0098] like Figure 3 As shown, the working principle of the 800G OSFP immersion liquid-cooled active optical cable AOC includes:

[0099] High-speed electrical signals from the device port are introduced through the gold fingers of optical module A. The optical engine components (four-channel first transmitting optical engines Tx1~4), which include driver chips and lasers, generate electrical-optical signal conversion to obtain high-speed optical signals. These high-speed optical signals are transmitted through a set of 8CH optical cables, pluggable optical connectors, and optical fibers to the second receiving optical engines Rx1~4 of optical module B, which include a transimpedance amplifier chip (TIA) and a photodetector (PD). The second receiving optical engines Rx1~4 generate optical-electrical signal conversion to obtain high-speed electrical signals. These high-speed electrical signals are compensated and repaired by the 4-channel DSP chip of optical module B and then introduced to the device port through the gold fingers of optical module B.

[0100] The high-speed electrical signal is transmitted a distance across the PCB via Tx5~8 of optical module A. The signal is compensated and repaired by a 4-channel DSP. The DSP's built-in driver drives the optical engine component containing the laser in Tx5~8 to generate an electrical-to-optical signal conversion to obtain a high-speed optical signal. This high-speed optical signal is transmitted via the 8CH optical cable + pluggable optical connector and optical fiber to the second receiving optical engine Rx5~8 of optical module B, which contains a TIA chip and PD. The second receiving optical engine Rx5~8 generates an optical-to-electrical signal conversion to obtain a high-speed electrical signal. This high-speed electrical signal is directly introduced to the device port through optical module B.

[0101] Similarly, when the high-speed electrical signal from the device port is introduced through the gold fingers of optical module B, the working principle is the same as that when the high-speed electrical signal is introduced through the gold fingers of optical module A, and will not be repeated here.

[0102] Compared to conventional products where both the transmit and receive channels require DSP compensation and repair, this 800GOSFP immersion liquid-cooled active optical cable only requires DSP compensation and repair for the high-speed signals of the transmit or receive channels, ensuring signal symmetry and loss consistency across all eight channels. Each optical module end of the active optical cable requires only one 4-channel DSP to achieve the transmission of eight 112GPAM4 signals, whereas conventional AOC products require one 8-channel DSP or two 4-channel DSPs per end. Furthermore, since the Tx1~4 optical engines of optical modules A / B utilize high-equalization driver chips for electro-optical conversion, this is referred to as hybrid DSP and linear direct-drive LPO technology. Therefore, this application provides an equivalent architecture immersion liquid-cooled active optical cable based on hybrid DSP and linear direct-drive LPO technology.

[0103] In one embodiment, such as Figure 4 As shown, Figure 4 This is a side view of an optical module for use in a liquid-cooled immersion environment, provided in an embodiment of this application. The optical module includes a top cover 01, a bottom shell 02, a PCBA 06; a DSP chip 07, a driver chip 08, a heat sink copper block 09; a first optical engine 10, a second optical engine 11, a clip 12, a pull ring 13, an optical cable sheath 14, a tail sleeve 15, an optical fiber 16, an optical fiber clip 17, and an MPO 12 ferrule 18. PCBA is short for Printed Circuit Board Assembly.

[0104] The optical module includes components and a housing. The housing includes a bottom shell and a top cover, and the components are housed within the housing. A first groove is provided at a first position on the inner wall of the bottom shell, and a second groove is provided at a second position on the top cover corresponding to the first position. The cavity formed by the first and second grooves being fitted together is filled with sealant. The mounting gaps between the housing and the PCBA board in the components, as well as the mounting gaps between the housing and the fiber optic clips in the components, are filled with sealant. The sealant can be a two-component sealant.

[0105] The optical module in this embodiment ensures that the inside of the housing is completely sealed, making it suitable for liquid-cooled immersion environments.

[0106] In one embodiment, the first groove and the second groove are Z-shaped grooves, and the first groove and the second groove fit together to form a Z-shaped receiving cavity.

[0107] In one embodiment, the first groove and the second groove are L-shaped grooves, and the first groove and the second groove fit together to form an L-shaped receiving cavity.

[0108] The Z-shaped and L-shaped receiving cavities allow for easy observation of whether the sealant has been fully filled. If the sealant is fully filled, it will overflow from the Z-shaped or L-shaped receiving cavity, thus confirming that the sealant has been fully filled.

[0109] In addition, to provide theoretical support for the embodiments of this application, optical modeling and simulation are carried out according to the characteristics of optical fibers and optical connectors, such as... Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the mating coupling of the AOC MPO connector for active optical cables provided in an embodiment of this application. Figure 6 This is a perspective view of a 3D model of the active optical cable AOC in coolant provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 5 In the diagram, end A (MPO12APC pigtail) is the male connector for the first optical module, and end B (MPO12 APC pigtail) is the male connector for the second optical module. The simulation results comparing the characteristics of air-cooled and liquid-cooled environments are as follows:

[0110] The input parameters for the simulation model in an 800G OSFP immersion liquid-cooled active optical cable are as follows:

[0111] Multimode fiber: core diameter is 0.05 mm, core refractive index is 1.477, cladding diameter is 0.125 mm, cladding refractive index is 1.4585;

[0112] Fiber optic end face of interface: APC (8°);

[0113] Interface fiber end face spacing: 1 μm;

[0114] Refractive index of immersion fluid: 1.281;

[0115] This simulation uses an 850nm wavelength multimode fiber optic light source with a divergence angle of 8°. It examines the change in optical power received by the fiber at the receiving end under normal MPO12 APC interface conditions, with the fiber end face gap (1µm) filled with air or cool liquid. Twelve pairs of fibers are arranged sequentially with a spacing of 0.25mm. A photodetector is positioned on the internal cross-section of the fiber at the receiving end, with the cross-section matching the fiber core cross-section.

[0116] like Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the optical coupling efficiency of the active optical cable (AOC) provided in this application embodiment in an air environment. Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the optical coupling efficiency of the active optical cable (AOC) provided in this embodiment of the application in a liquid-cooled environment. Figure 7 and Figure 8Simulation results show that the optical coupling efficiency of MPO12 APC multimode fiber is 92.417% in an air environment and 91.527% in a liquid-cooled environment. Even with further increasing the fiber end-face spacing to 10µm, the coupling efficiency in the liquid-cooled environment can still reach over 90%, fully meeting the expected coupling efficiency of the immersion liquid-cooled optical cable AOC solution in application. The simulation uses multimode MPO12 as the model, but the only factors affecting the final results are the fiber itself and the refractive index of the spacing and the medium within the spacing space. Therefore, the simulation results are also applicable to multimode MPO16 / multimode dual MPO12 and the same series of single-mode connectors.

[0117] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0118] The above embodiments only illustrate several implementation methods of this utility model, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the utility model patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of this utility model, and these all fall within the protection scope of this utility model. Therefore, the protection scope of this utility model patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An active optical cable, comprising: The active optical cable includes a pluggable optical connector and two optical modules for use in liquid-cooled immersion environments. There are N channels between the two optical modules. Each optical module includes a digital signal processing (DSP) chip with N / 2 channels. The first optical module is connected to the first end of the pluggable optical connector, and the second optical module is connected to the second end of the pluggable optical connector.

2. The active optical cable of claim 1, wherein, The active optical cable also includes two first male connectors, two second male connectors, a first branch fiber optic patch cord, and a second branch fiber optic patch cord; The first optical module is connected to the two first male connectors via the first branch fiber optic patch cord; The second optical module is connected to the two second male connectors via the second branch fiber optic patch cord; The two first male connectors are connected to the two second male connectors via the pluggable optical connector.

3. The active optical cable of claim 2, wherein, The pluggable optical connector includes a first pluggable optical connector and a second pluggable optical connector. One of the two first male connectors is connected to the first end of the first pluggable optical connector, and one of the two second male connectors is connected to the second end of the first pluggable optical connector. One of the two first male connectors is connected to the first end of the second pluggable optical connector, and the other of the two second male connectors is connected to the second end of the second pluggable optical connector.

4. The active optical cable according to any of claims 1-3, wherein, The first optical module of the two optical modules further includes a first transmitting gold finger with N channels and a first transmitting optical engine, and the first transmitting gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the first transmitting optical engine with the corresponding N / 2 channels; The first transmitting gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the DSP chip in the first optical module, and the DSP chip in the first optical module is connected to the first transmitting optical engine of the other N / 2 channels.

5. The active optical cable according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first optical module also includes a first receiving gold finger with N channels and a first receiving optical engine. The first receiving gold fingers with N / 2 channels are connected to the DSP chip in the first optical module, and the DSP chip in the first optical module is connected to the first receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels. The first receiving gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the first receiving optical engines of the other N / 2 channels.

6. The active optical cable of claim 5, wherein, The second optical module of the two optical modules further includes a second receiving gold finger with N channels and a second receiving optical engine. The second receiving gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the DSP chip in the second optical module, and the DSP chip in the second optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels. The second receiving gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the second receiving optical engines of the other N / 2 channels; The first transmitting optical engine with N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels in the second optical module; The first transmitting optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second receiving optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the second optical module.

7. The active optical cable of claim 5, wherein, The second optical module of the two optical modules further includes a second transmitting gold finger and a second transmitting optical engine with N channels, and the second transmitting gold finger with N / 2 channels is connected to the second transmitting optical engine with N / 2 channels; The second transmitting gold fingers of the other N / 2 channels are connected to the DSP chip in the second optical module, and the DSP chip in the second optical module is connected to the second transmitting optical engine of the other N / 2 channels; The first receiving optical engine with N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second transmitting optical engine with N / 2 channels in the second optical module; The first receiving optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the first optical module is connected to the second transmitting optical engine of the other N / 2 channels in the second optical module.

8. The active optical cable of any of claims 1-3, wherein, The optical module includes components and a housing, the housing including a bottom shell and a top cover, and the components are disposed inside the housing; A first groove is provided at a first position on the inner wall of the bottom shell, and a second groove is provided at a second position on the top cover corresponding to the first position. The cavity formed by the first groove and the second groove after they fit together is filled with sealant. The mounting gap between the outer shell and the PCBA board in the component is filled with sealant, as is the mounting gap between the outer shell and the fiber optic clip in the component.

9. The active optical cable according to claim 8, characterized in that, The first groove and the second groove are Z-shaped grooves, and the first groove and the second groove fit together to form a Z-shaped receiving cavity.

10. The active optical cable of claim 8, wherein, The first groove and the second groove are L-shaped grooves, and the first groove and the second groove fit together to form an L-shaped receiving cavity.

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