ECOC 2018: MaxLinear intros 400 Gbps DR4 Optical Modules, 100G transceiver/driver

At ECOC 2018, MaxLinear introduced a 100 Gbps transceiver with integrated driver.

MaxLinear’s new MxL93512 is part of the Telluride family of devices, which are DSP SoCs with integrated electro-absorption modulated laser (EA-EML) drivers for 100 Gbps/400 Gbps optical interconnects. The new device allows optical module vendors to develop a 100 Gbps optical interconnect module in a compact form factor for intra-datacenter applications with a transmission distance up to 2 Kilometers.


The MxL9351x SoCs are suitable for use within QSFP28 module form factors. Two options are currently available: the MxL93512 that integrates an EA-EML driver with 1.8V PP SE swing, and the MxL93513 that offers differential 800mV peak-to-peak swing for non EA-EML-based optics.

Maxlinear said its Telluride family features several operating modes that can connect to multiple generations of switch ASICs (128x25G NRZ, 256x25G NRZ or 256x50G PAM4) enabling 3.2Tbps, 6.4Tbps or 12.8Tbps front panel capacity per data center rack unit. These different operating modes span a variety of optical module form factors such as QSFP28, SFP-DD, QSFP-DD, OSFP and COBO.

MaxLinear also announced support for 400 Gbps breakout mode clocking in its MxL9354x products. The functionality will be on display at the company’s stand (#684) at the European Conference on Optical Communication (ECOC) in Rome taking place from Sept. 24-26, 2018. MaxLinear’s Telluride 400 Gbps PAM4 DSP (MxL9354x), based on 100 Gbps single lambda technology, is enabling development of DR4 and FR4 optical modules for the upcoming hyperscale datacenter transition to 400 Gbps. The initial use case in this transition is expected to be dominated by use of 400 Gbps DR4 modules used in a breakout application. The breakout mode of a 400 Gbps DR4 module requires certain clocking considerations that allow for the four 100 Gbps lanes to be treated as independent 100 Gbps ports and connect to a 100 Gbps DR1 or FR1 module on the other side. The unique clocking architecture of the MxL9354x makes it possible to achieve this requirement seamlessly.

http://www.maxlinear.com