IPtronics Releases second-gen 12x10G silicon

SEPTEMBER 9, 2009 -- IPtronics has announced the availability of its second generation silicon for 12-channel parallel optical transmission applications.

The IPVD12x12 VCSEL Driver Array and IPTA12x12 TIA/LIA Array offer advanced features while reducing power dissipation to 0.9 W for the chip set, according to the company. The 0.9 W reflects total power dissipated in the Tx/Rx module or for each cable end, including power in the optics as well as terminations.

As an industry figure of merit, this corresponds to 7.5 mW/Gbps. The chip set offers options for reducing overall module power dissipation to less than 600 mW, corresponding to 4 mW/Gbps.

Channel rates of 12.5 Gbps enable 150 Gbps total bandwidth. With a selectable bandwidth feature it is suitable for multi-rate modules, says IPtronics.

The chip set has been available to alpha partners since December 2008. Customer products containing the chip set were demonstrated live at OFC in San Diego in March of this year and have seen “wide market acceptance by leading module and active cable manufacturers as well as HPC, server, and router manufacturers,” according to IPtronics. The chip set is now available, and IPtronics says the devices have already been designed into a number of applications such as CXP cables.

The 12x12 chip set is designed to accommodate both chip-to-chip communications as well as active cable applications without compromising performance, feature set, or cost. The chip set is also fully InfiniBand compliant and includes such features as JTAG, on chip PROM for vendor and startup settings, advanced temperature control features, any rate operation by selectable bandwidth, I2C interface, and RSSI, among others.

“Our deep engagements with customers and their customers, the system manufacturers, have been highly successful,” said Steen Gundersen, vice president of sales and marketing worldwide. “Being able to look beyond the module and into the system has been instrumental in designing a part that will revolutionize the parallel optical market space.”

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