Overview
IEC 62150-6:2022 - part of the IEC 62150 series on fibre optic active components and devices - test and measurement procedures - defines a generic mezzanine board system for laboratory and system-level test of micro‑optical and micro‑photonic devices. The standard specifies a modular approach including two mezzanine board sizes (half‑width M1 and full‑width M2) and a detachable power distribution and sensor (PDS) board to support consistent characterization of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and related photonic devices.
Keywords: IEC 62150-6:2022, mezzanine board, photonic devices, PIC test, fibre optic active components, test and measurement.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Mezzanine board family: Defines three board categories - M1 (half-width), M2 (full-width) and PDS - including outline boundaries and placement constraints so boards can be combined or used standalone.
- Functional description: Requirements for areas assigned to the device under test (DUT), and interfaces for high‑speed electronic and optical connections.
- Mechanical interfaces and critical dimensions: Specifies relative dimensions and connector locations to ensure compatibility when boards are mounted side‑by‑side on a daughtercard or into a backplane system.
- Daughtercard and extended system architecture: Describes how two mezzanine boards mount on an extended Eurocard‑form daughtercard, and how daughtercards populate a system backplane for rack/cabinet test environments.
- Power distribution and sensing: The detachable PDS provides multiple tunable voltages and real‑time current/power measurement capabilities to measure DUT power consumption accurately.
- Power and signal flows: Defines low‑speed/power connector positions and routing relationships between PDS, mezzanines, daughtercard and backplane.
- Informative annexes: Includes examples from collaborative R&D projects (e.g., PhoxTroT, Nephele, COSMICC) to illustrate cross‑project deployment.
Practical applications and users
Who benefits:
- Photonic device manufacturers - consistent benchmarking of PICs, transceivers, switches and sensors.
- R&D labs and universities - repeatable test setups for micro‑photonic research (LiDAR, quantum ICs, neuromorphic photonics).
- Test engineers and system integrators - streamlined integration of DUTs into lab benches or backplane‑based test systems.
- Standards bodies and test houses - common reference for like‑for‑like comparative characterization and interoperability assessments.
Typical uses:
- Comparative performance measurement (BER, power consumption, signal integrity)
- Rapid prototyping and cross‑platform evaluation of PIC designs
- System‑level testing in data‑centre, telecom or automotive cabinet environments
Related standards (if applicable)
- IEC 62150-1 - Fibre optic active components and devices - Part 1: General and guidance
- IEC TR 63072-1 - Photonic integrated circuits - introduction and roadmap
- IEC 60050-731 - International Electrotechnical Vocabulary: Optical fibre communication
IEC 62150-6:2022 promotes interoperable, repeatable test environments for photonic device characterization - a practical standard for accelerating PIC commercialization and reliable device benchmarking.