Host-equalized optical links

A host-equalized optical link configured to be implemented between a first host system and a second host system, the host-equalized optical link comprising:

• a first host-equalized optical transceiver including:
• a driver analog interface that is configured to interface with a first host integrated circuit (IC) of the first host system;
• a linear laser diode driver (LLDD) directly electrically coupled to the first host IC via the driver analog interface, the LLDD configured to receive an equalized electrical data signal directly from the first host IC via the driver analog interface and to generate a driving signal based on the equalized electrical data signal, the equalized electrical data signal being a linear and analog signal;
• and
• an optical transmitter that is electrically coupled to the LLDD, the optical transmitter configured to receive the driving signal from the LLDD and to generate an optical data signal that is representative of the driving signal;
• an optical fiber;
• a second host-equalized optical transceiver including:
• an amplifier analog interface;
• an optical receiver communicatively coupled to the optical transmitter of the first host-equalized optical transceiver via the optical fiber, the optical receiver configured to receive optical data signals communicated along the optical fiber and to convert the received optical data signals to electrical data signals representative of the received optical data signals, the electrical data signals including one or more degraded characteristics;
• and
• a linear trans-impedance amplifier (LTIA) that is electrically coupled to the optical receiver and directly electrically coupled to a second host IC of the second host system via the amplifier analog interface, the LTIA being configured to receive the electrical data signals from the optical receiver and communicate amplified electrical signals directly to the host IC via the amplifier analog interface, the amplified electrical signals including the degraded characteristic,
• wherein the optical signal communicated between the first host-equalized optical transceiver and the second host-equalized optical transceiver is linear end-to-end.

An optical system comprising:

• a first host system that includes a first host IC;
• a second host system that includes a second host IC;
• a host-equalized optical link comprising:
• a first host-equalized optical transceiver including:
• a driver analog interface that is configured to interface with the first host integrated circuit (IC) of the first host system;
• a linear laser diode driver (LLDD) directly electrically coupled to the first host IC via the driver analog interface, the LLDD configured to receive an equalized electrical data signal directly from the first host IC via the driver analog interface and to generate a driving signal based on the equalized electrical data signal, the equalized electrical data signal being a linear and analog signal;
• and
• an optical transmitter that is electrically coupled to the LLDD, the optical transmitter configured to receive the driving signal from the LLDD and to generate an optical data signal that is representative of the driving signal;
• an optical fiber;
• a second host-equalized optical transceiver including:
• an amplifier analog interface;
• an optical receiver communicatively coupled to the optical transmitter of the first host-equalized optical transceiver via the optical fiber, the optical receiver configured to receive optical data signals communicated along the optical fiber and to convert the received optical data signals to electrical data signals representative of the received optical data signals, the electrical data signals including one or more degraded characteristics;
• and
• a linear trans-impedance amplifier (LTIA) that is electrically coupled to the optical receiver and directly electrically coupled to the second host IC of the second host system via the amplifier analog interface, the LTIA being configured to receive the electrical data signals from the optical receiver and communicate amplified electrical signals directly to the host IC via the amplifier analog interface, the amplified electrical signals including the degraded characteristic,
• wherein the optical signal communicated between the first host-equalized optical transceiver and the second host-equalized optical transceiver is linear end-to-end, and
• wherein the first host IC and the second host IC perform equalization processes in the optical system.