MACOM unveils low-power drivers for 100 Gigabit Ethernet

M/A-COM Technology Solutions Inc. (MACOM) has made several additions to its portfolio of drivers for 100 Gigabit Ethernet applications. The company has introduced electroabsorption-modulated laser (EML) and direct-modulated laser (DML) drivers that meet the power requirements for CFP2, CFP4, and QSFP28 optical modules.

The MAOM-003401 is a quad-channel 28-Gbps EML driver which can deliver up to 1.6 Vpp single-ended output while dissipating less than 230 mW of power per channel. When paired with MACOM’s M37049 quad-channel CDR chip, it provides the lowest power and smallest form-factor chip set on the market today for CFP2 and CFP4 optical transceivers, the company asserts. A demonstration of the full optical transmitter line-up with CDR, driver, and TOSA was on display at OFC 2014 last week in San Francisco.

The MAOM-002304 is a quad-channel 28-Gbps DML driver which can deliver up to 70 mA of laser bias current and 60 mA of modulation current with less than 240 mW of power dissipation per channel. This single-die product can be integrated in a TOSA and directly DC coupled to the laser, thus minimizing losses and maximizing efficiency. This part can also be paired with the M37049 low-power CDR to meet the power requirements of QSFP28 modules, MACOM says.

“We are very happy that MACOM can continue to push the limits on power dissipation with these new products,” said Ray Moroney, MACOM’s optoelectronics product line manager. “And with the addition of CDRs and TIAs from the former Mindspeed, MACOM can continue to innovate and integrate to provide optimized solutions for our customers.” (See “MACOM to acquire Mindspeed for $272M”).

Samples of MAOM-003401 and MAOM-002304 are available now.

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