Sep 24 2013
Mindspeed Technologies, Inc., a leading supplier of semiconductor solutions for network infrastructure and data center applications, today announced the industry's lowest-power and smallest footprint clock and data recovery (CDR) device capable of supporting data rates up to 28 gigabits per second (Gbps).
High density front panel applications utilizing quad small form-factor pluggable (QSFP) modules and on-board optical engines driving optical backplanes require dramatic reductions in component power consumption and footprint. Mindspeed®'s M37046 four-channel CDR supports data rates required for multiple standards, including 100G Ethernet, InfiniBand enhanced data rate (EDR), 32G Fibre Channel and optical transport network (OTU-4). The low-power CDRs integrate key features, such as a limiting amplifier with industry leading input sensitivity, output de-emphasis to optimize link performance as well as test pattern generation and checking for system level diagnostics. The devices are reference-free, eliminating the need for reference crystal oscillators thus reducing the number of components and cost required to implement a retiming function.
Molex Incorporated has used Mindspeed's CDRs to demonstrate the industry's first, fully retimed 100Gbps PSM4 zQSFP+ Active Optical Cable, meeting stringent power consumption and thermal constraints of a small modular form factor. Molex is using Mindspeed's next-generation devices to demonstrate its 100Gbps HBMT with its VersaBeam expanded-beam optical backplane solution at the European Conference on Optical Communications (ECOC) this week.
"In the drive to increase bandwidth density on the front panel and the backplane, systems OEMs require small form-factor pluggable modules and small on board optical engines. These solutions will future proof customers' investments in networking infrastructure, but, at the same time the small form factor of these modules create a challenge for interconnect manufacturers to meet the footprint, power consumption and thermal constraints," said Adit Narasimha, director of active optics at Molex, Incorporated. "Molex's silicon photonics-based solutions and optical backplane in combination with Mindspeed's low power CDRs answer these market needs and are the first to demonstrate 100Gbps optical backplane driven by small form factor optical modules with retiming in both transmit and receive directions."
The new device expands on Mindspeed's family of signal conditioners, crosspoint switches and physical media devices (PMDs) for networking and enterprise solutions.
"Our new CDRs solidify Mindspeed's product portfolio leadership addressing 100Gbps optical interconnect applications," said Hasnain Bajwa, senior vice president and general manager, high-performance analog (HPA) at Mindspeed. "We are excited to deliver industry-leading, low power and smallest footprint solutions and to demonstrate them with Molex's optical backplane infrastructure for the next generation of networking."
Mindspeed will be demonstrating these new CDR devices as part of Molex's 100Gbps optical backplane demonstration in booth number 221 at the 39th European Conference and Exhibition on Optical Communication (ECOC) from September 21 to 23, 2013 at the ICC Capital Suite (ExCeL Centre) in London.
Availability
The device is packaged in a 4x4.5 mm package and it is available now under part number M37046. The devices are currently sampling to development partners.