Inphi samples chips to power 100G ports

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Inphi Corp. is sampling physical-layer and clock-data recovery (CDR) chips aimed to simplify designs for next-generation systems supporting 100 Gbit/s Ethernet standards. The CMOS devices aim to replace more expensive and power hungry BiCMOS parts and will be in production in 2012.

The IN112510 Gearbox serdes and IN012525 CDR chips are made in a 40nm TSMC process, fit in standard BGA packages, consume about 2.5W and will cost well under $1,000. They replace BiCMOS devices that can consume up to 8W and cost more than $2,000, said Siddharth Sheth, vice president of marketing at Inphi.

The smaller, cooler chips will help enable the next generation of modules that will pack more 100G interfaces on line cards for core and edge routers. They do this in part by ratcheting up from use of ten 10G links to just four 25G links.

OEMs such as Cisco, Juniper and Brocade typically only put one or two 100G interfaces on current line cards using today's so-called CFP modules that consume up to 20W and measure 82 x 145 x 13.6 inches. The next-generation CFP2 modules will consume about 7W and measure 40 x 106 x 12.4 inches, enabling eight and eventually 16 ports per line card, using 25G lanes.

"I am sure there are others working [on PHY and CDR devices] in CMOS, but we are first to show up with products," said Sheth.

Inphi created its own simulation and signal integrity tools to compute statistical S-parameter models of connectors and board channels. It used a mixture of its own models and some developed by systems customers to extrapolate device requirements and performance.

The company also developed a set of custom digital CMOS cell libraries to deliver the performance and power needed for its designs.