Subsea Long Haul Optical Transponder

The SBIR Phase I effort demonstrated that a successful Subsea Long Haul Optical Transponder (SLOT) design for transmitting data from a branched sensor node onto a trunk cable and back to a shore terminus must consider the overall trunk cable system transmission characteristics. The SBIR Phase I study resulted in a viable SLOT concept. The Phase II effort develops the Core Transponder Module (CTM) within the SLOT concept from a concept to a prototype with verification testing via system requirements, requirements definition and flow down, preliminary design , breadboard fabrication and testing, Preliminary Design Review, detailed design, prototype fabrication, verification testing, and Critical Design Review. Deliverables include a device specification, a Preliminary Design Package, a Critical Design Package including a detailed design package prototype device fabrication, and prototype verification test data. It also includes a technology study investigating the impact of emerging coherent subsea telecom systems and adaptation of the device to emerging system technologies. The Option extends the Baseline Program with required design revisions, fabrication of two First Article Units, and Subsea Trunk System Testing to verify full functionality of the derived design, and delivery of an Option Program Review and deliverable Documentation Package.