21 October 2011

GigOptix sampling 25G parallel VCSEL driver and receiver amplifier array

GigOptix Inc of San Jose, CA, USA (which supplies semiconductor and optical components for high-speed information streaming) is sampling a new chipset for short-reach 25Gb/s parallel optical interconnects.

Building on its 14Gb/s 4-channel HXT5104 VCSEL driver and HXR5104 receiver amplifier chip set and 12-channel HXT5112 VCSEL driver and HXR5112 receiver amplifier chip set (sampled in June), GigOptix now offers a 4-channel 25Gb/s vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) driver (HXT5204A) and receiver amplifier (HXR5204A) array. The firm says that the components are a key factor for manufacturing compact, robust and low-power optical transmitter modules. The array addresses IEEE 802.3ba Ethernet transceivers, Infiniband EDR active optical cables (AOCs) and proprietary multi-channel optical modules, and is targeted at the datacom, avionics and consumer markets.

The HXR5204A receiver amplifier is a 3.3V silicon germanium (SiGe) device that integrates the transimpedance pre-amplifier, the limiting post-amplifier and a versatile CML output stage for four optical channels. The HXT5204A VCSEL driver, in conjunction with a VCSEL array, handles the complete digital-to-optical conversion, including CML input, laser driver, drive control and supervision. Standard silicon technology and a small number of additional components allow cost-effective and compact assemblies, says GigOptix.

“With the vision of continuing to reduce the power consumption per link, we are releasing our HXT/R5204 series having 400mW per link at 25Gb/s, and designing to further power consumption reduction in our future designs,” says Martin Bossard, GigOptix’s director of engineering and general manager for GigOptix-Helix AG in Zurich, Switzerland. The new chipset doubles data throughput per channel with ultralow power consumption, he adds.

Samples of the HXT5204A and HXR5204A are available with an evaluation board for evaluation with VCSEL and photodiodes.

Tags: GigOptix VCSEL driver

Visit: www.gigoptix.com