Qorvo Inc of Greensboro, NC, USA (which provides core technologies and RF solutions for mobile, infrastructure and defense applications) has launched five new low-power pulse amplitude modulation-4 (PAM4) optical solutions for connecting equipment inside data centers. The family of transimpedance amplifiers (TIAs) and drivers offers what is claimed to be the broadest range of PAM4 options to support the needs of 100G-400G optical networks.
“While the current ramp of 100G Ethernet in large data centers is dramatic, there is considerable interest in implementing the new Ethernet speeds, especially with PAM4 modulation,” says Vladimir Kozlov, founder & CEO of LightCounting Market Research. “Qorvo’s new linear drivers and TIAs will support all the new speeds from 25G, 50G, 200G and even 400G,” he adds.
“These products are designed to more efficiently connect equipment in data centers and client-side telecom applications,” says Gorden Cook, general manager of Qorvo’s Transport business unit. “Our complete range of solutions will enable our optical customers to improve performance, reduce total cost and accelerate the implementation of 100G to 400G systems.”
Built on gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP) and silicon germanium (SiGe) technologies, the PAM4 family includes three 28GBaud linear drivers and two linear TIAs. The units feature power efficiency in the range of 200mW per channel, high gain and high linearity, in a small footprint.
The new linear drivers are currently being built into optical network systems. The single-channel TIAs will be available for sampling in April. Additional quad-channel drivers and new TIAs will be available in late 2017.
Qorvo’s optical portfolio is being showcased in booths #2263 and #2533 at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference and Exposition (OFC 2017) in Los Angeles (21-23 March).
