Third generation of Inphi Porrima PAM4 platform offers more features, lower power, smaller size

March 17, 2020

The third generation of the company’s Porrima device offers lower power, a smaller footprint, and support of a wider range of lasers, according to the company.

Stephen Hardy

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Inphi Corp. (NYSE: IPHI) says it is now sampling the Porrima Gen3 Single-Lambda PAM4 platform. The third generation of the company’s Porrima device offers lower power, a smaller footprint, and support of a wider range of lasers, according to the company.

The 7-nm CMOS Porrima Gen3 features an expanded feature set and improved direct drive capability versus the previous generations. Therefore, a wider range of lasers can be used with the integrated 56-Gbaud laser driver. Meanwhile, the device offers lower power to enable total module power consumption of less than 8 W for 400-Gbps DR4/FR4 QSFP-DD optical transceivers with 8x50-Gbps electrical interfaces. To ease the transition from the previous generations of the Porrima, the Gen3 offers a compatible API and software suite as well as backward pin-to-pin compatibility. The chip also features self-test and loopback modes that allow diagnostic monitoring of channel and system parameters as well as a modular API software suite that addresses link margin and stress testing along with data and error analytics.

Inphi also announced the companion IN5661TA/5664TA, a 56-Gbaud low-power single/quad linear transimpedance amplifier (TIA).

“Once again, Inphi demonstrates market leadership with its ongoing commitment to reduce both the footprint and power of its PAM4 solutions,” commented Andrew Schmitt, directing analyst at Cignal AI, via an Inphi press release. “Inphi’s PAM4 DSP is well-positioned to address the need for standards-based 400GbE connectivity as well as the customized, high-volume hardware requirements of large cloud operators.”

Gen2 of the Porrima earned a 4.5 rating in the 2020 Lightwave Innovation Reviews.

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About the Author

Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave

Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.

Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.

He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.

You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.