MaxLinear announced three new products for optical networks: a 45 GBd, linear, Mach-Zehnder modulator driver; a 32 GBd, low power, linear driver and a 45 GBd transimpedance amplifier (TIA).

45 GBd Linear Mach-Zehnder Modulator Driver

The MaxLinear MxL9244 driver was designed for 200 and 400  Gbps coherent optical networks and supports linear DP-QPSK, DP-16-QAM and DP-32-QAM transceiver designs, where component linearity and bandwidth are critical for optimal optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR). The driver supports up to 400 Gbps data rates with a single wavelength when used with higher-level modulation such as DP-32-QAM.

The MxL9244 integrates four channels within a 14 mm x 9 mm SMT package, which meets the form factor for CFP-DCO, CFP2-ACO and smaller module designs. The driver includes a serial peripheral interface (SPI) to perform all control and monitoring functions. A programmable input gain equalizer compensates for high frequency loss from the printed circuit board (PCB) and the package. Each driver integrates a broadband bias tee.

MxL9244 samples will be available beginning in Q2 2017.

Bird Yuan, MaxLinear’s director of marketing for high speed interconnect products, said, “A 45 GBd coherent solution is appealing to both datacenter and telecom operators, as it not only offers longer reach capability for 200 Gbps and higher long haul transport but also enables 400 Gbps data transport in a single wavelength.”

32 GBd Low Power Linear Driver

A second linear driver, the MxL9203, was designed to optimize power consumption. According to MaxLinear, it consumes 30 percent less power than existing driver ICs. The design is a differential input, single-ended output Mach-Zehnder driver with a data rate of 32 GBd, which supports next-generation 200 Gbps dense wave division multiplexing (DWDM) long-haul and metro networks. The linear design will handle DP-QPSK and DP-16-QAM modulation.

The MxL9203 includes an SPI to handle control and monitoring, which simplifies the required peripheral circuitry. According to MaxLinear, the design eliminates the need for external analog-to-digital (ADC) and digital-to-analog (DAC) conversion and op amp components that are required by conventional drivers. The driver also integrates a broadband bias tee.

A programmable input gain equalizer compensates for high frequency loss from the PCB and package and enables bandwidth optimization to support data rates up to 260 Gbps. The MxL9203 supports both legacy manual and automatic gain control modes.

The driver integrates four channels in a 14 mm x 9 mm SMT package that meets the footprint requirements of CFP-DCO or smaller form-factor module designs

Samples of the MxL9203 are available now.

45 GBd TIA

The MxL9142 is a dual-channel, 45 GBd TIA for coherent DWDM networks, supporting both 200 and 400 Gbps. The combined linearity, noise and power dissipation makes the TIA suitable for 45 GBd intradyne coherent receiver (ICR) modules with high performance requirements.

Programmable channel bandwidth and an input equalizer enable fine tuning the receiver’s performance for different photo detectors (PD). The low differential output swing supports low power, coherent DSPs. The high transimpedance gain is ideally suited for metro networks, which experience greater signal loss due to the prevalence of older fiber and multiple interconnects.

The MxL9142’s pin-out and functionality are fully compatible with MaxLinear’s MxL9105 32 GBd coherent TIA, for a common package design for both 32 and 45 GBd ICRs.

Samples of the MxL9142 are available now.