Credo flies Seagull 200 PAM4 optical DSP

Feb. 25, 2021

The Seagull 200 will support the design of QSFP56 optical transceivers for 200 Gigabit Ethernt (GbE) SR4, DR4, FR4, and LR4 applications.

Stephen Hardy

Credo now offers the Seagull 200 (CFD50502) Optical DSP, based on the company’s SEAGULL Platform (see, for example, "Credo targets Seagull 50 PAM4 DSP toward 5G optical modules"). The Seagull 200 will support the design of QSFP56 optical transceivers for 200 Gigabit Ethernt (GbE) SR4, DR4, FR4, and LR4 applications.

The Seagull 200 features a four-lane client-side electrical interface, with each lane transmitting 53.125-Gbps (26.5625 Gbaud) PAM4, and a four-lane optical line side interface that operates at the same transmission rate. The device integrates a DSP engine and equalization techniques to compensate for optical impairments while achieving good BER performance at low power dissipation. The architecture enables minimal and deterministic latency, making it suitable for latency-sensitive applications such as mobile infrastructure, Credo adds.

Other features include diagnostics and loopback features as well as a footprint compatible with Credo’s Dove 200 Optical DSP. Customers thus can design a common PCB for either component then choose the DSP that better meets the application requirements.

“Seagull 200 is the ideal high-performance and low-power DSP for data centers and for 5G wireless mid-haul and back-haul deploying PAM4 networks,” said Scott Feller, vice president of marketing at Credo. “The low power and fixed latency enable 200G upgrades on the next-generation wireless networks.”

“Radio access network [RAN] architectures are undergoing a significant change, driving higher bandwidth demands for front haul and mid haul connections,” added Chris DePuy, technology analyst at 650 Group, via a Credo press release. “For those new, distributed RAN systems to keep up with 5G wireless demand, high-speed optical interfaces to connect radios and baseband systems are critical. Additionally, we see other applications for 200GbE optical systems in edge cloud systems, which will drive additional volume that will reduce unit costs.”

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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.