Sunday, September 19, 2021

MaxLinear demos 400G transceivers

At the China International Optoelectronic Exposition (CIOE, September 16-18), MaxLinear demonstrated Molex LLC’s 400G-DR4 optical modules based on MaxLinear’s Telluride (MxL9354x) pulse-amplitude-modulation (PAM4) digital signal processors (DSPs). 

MaxLinear’s MxL9354x Telluride family of SoCs are key components in the deployment of hyper-scale data centers based on 100Gbps single lambda optical interconnects. They enabled Molex to build their high-performance 400Gbps optical modules in a compact QSFP-DD form factor for intra-datacenter applications and meet the strict performance and interoperability requirements of next-generation hyperscale data centers.

The Telluride family of high-performance PAM4 DSP SoCs enable 400Gbps optical modules using a 4x100Gbps optics interface. These SoCs are suitable for use within QSFP-DD and OSFP module form factors. The MxL9354x 400G PAM4 DSP integrates an optional EA-EML driver with 1.8V PP SE swing. Asynchronous breakout mode clocking is an essential feature for hyperscale data center customers initiating 400G DR4 deployments. MaxLinear’s 400G Telluride DSPs (MxL9354x) integrate this clocking requirement.

The devices feature a comprehensive digital pre-distortion (DPD) engine in the transmit direction to compensate for laser non-linearity and to cancel packaging limitations that cause reflections and bandwidth degradation at these extremely high signal frequencies. On the receive path, the DSP includes an auto-adaptive signal enhancement engine, which integrates a continuous time linear equalizer (CTLE), automatic gain control (AGC), a feed forward equalizer (FFE), and a decision feedback equalizer (DFE).

“With the exponential growth of data traffic within hyperscale cloud networks driving demand for ever-increasing volumes of high-speed interconnects, 400Gbps Telluride-based transceiver modules are key enablers for current and next-generation hyperscale data centers,” said Drew Guckenberger, Vice President of MaxLinear’s Optical Interconnect Group. “Through our partnership with Molex, the demonstrated Telluride-based optical modules meet all of the stringent link performance metrics demanded by our key hyperscale customers, enabling high-volume deployments and meeting their growing network expansion needs.”

http://www.maxlinear.com