Broadcom Announces DSP-Based 10 Gigabit Ethernet Serial Transceiver

Broadcom announced a new 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) physical layer (PHY) device that leverages DSPs -- an industry first. The company said its unique high-speed DSP provides significant performance, manufacturing and reliability advantages over competing analog solutions. The new 10GbE DSP PHY exceeds the requirements of the new IEEE802.aq standard, which was developed to provide a low cost 10x speed upgrade for existing Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) links in multi-mode fiber (MMF) applications.



Currently, more complex and higher cost 10GBASE-LX4 optical modules are being used in this market. Additionally, as density of 10GbE line cards increase from 8 to 16 channels today to as many as 48 channels on next generation designs, new smaller form factors and lower cost 10 Gigabit modules (such as SFP+) will be required.



The new Broadcom BCM8706 10GbE (SFP+ to XAUI) transceiver that builds on five generations of the company's 10GbE serial PHY technology, and will be used in SFP+ line card applications and inside X2 optical modules. The DSP equalizer provides optimal performance over 300 meters of multi-mode fiber that exceeds the IEEE specified link distance of 220 meters. An on-chip micro-controller provides additional flexibility to maintain optimal performance in even the most challenging operating conditions.

http://www.broadcom.com