MAY 23, 2007 -- Nanotech Semiconductor Ltd., a fabless IC company specializing in advanced analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs) for fiber-optic communications, today announced two new laser driver ICs for low cost fiber-optic transceivers.
The NT25L31 edge-emitting laser driver and NT25L32 vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) driver are designed to support 125-Mbit/sec to 2.5-Gbit/sec fiber-optic transceiver applications for datacom, telecom, and storage markets. Both ICs can be partnered with Nanotech's 125-/155-Mbit/sec receiver chipset, the NT20016 1.25-Gbit/sec TIA and forthcoming NT24L70 limiting amplifier, to form complete Fast Ethernet, OC-3, and Gigabit Ethernet transceiver solutions for low cost 1x9, GBIC, SFF, and SFP products.
All of the ICs support both 3.3 V and 5 V 'legacy' markets. The NT25L31 and NT25L32 are manufactured in standard 0.18um 'logic' CMOS, on 8" wafers, to provide the lowest cost IC for high-volume, price-sensitive transceiver markets, say company representatives.
The NT25L31 can provide up to 80 mA bias current and 70 mA modulation current into a laser, while the NT25L32 can deliver 20 mA bias current and 25 mA modulation current into a VCSEL. Both ICs have automatic mean power control and temperature-compensated modulation current for accurate transmitter control over temperature, says the company. Both ICs provide monitoring functions for DDMi applications. The NT25L31 also is pin compatible with the MAX3646 & MAX3738 laser drivers, making cost reduction re-designs even simpler as well as consuming 30% less power.
Samples will be available in July supplied in 4- x 4-mm 24-pin RoHS-compliant QFN packages.
"Our competitors have taken the easy design route using SiGe BiCMOS, but this has the disadvantage of being expensive and power hungry," notes Steve Cliffe, Nanotech's vice president of sales and marketing.
"Delivering these high drive currents at 2.5 Gbits/sec from standard CMOS technology demonstrates the capability of Nanotech's design team and paves the way for a step change in fiber transceiver costs," adds Christian Rookes, Nanotech's business development manager.
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