Inphi Corporation (NASDAQ: IPHI), a leader in high-speed data movement interconnects, today announced the sampling of its next-generation 400G DR4 silicon photonics platform solution which includes a silicon photonics integrated circuit (PIC), a flip chip transimpedance amplifier (TIA), and an analog controller; all designed to work seamlessly with Inphi’s industry-leading Porrima™ PAM4 Digital Signal Processor (DSP) to enable faster time to ramp and lower cost per bit.
Inphi brings high volume silicon wafer scale manufacturing to the optics industry by offering customers the option to purchase Inphi-designed high-performance 400G DR4 PICs in full 200-mm wafer form. Customers receive silicon PIC wafers direct from an Inphi fab partner and will be able to continue with high-volume wafer scale manufacturing and 3-D heterogenous integration in their own factories. This innovative business model brings silicon wafer scale manufacturing to the optics industry to enable faster ramp and lower cost per bit.
“Inphi has been the leading force to define and create a PAM4 ecosystem of optical modules for cloud and data center networks,” said Dr. LoiNguyen, Founder and SVP, Optical Interconnect at Inphi. “I believe today’s announcement will mark the beginning of a new era of the ‘fabless optics’ industry. Optical transceiver manufacturers can leverage silicon high volume wafer scale in the manufacturing of transceivers without owning a fab.”
400G DR Silicon Photonics Platform Solution Key Features:
· Inphi’s complete silicon photonics transceiver with four low-loss, transmit Mach-Zehnder modulators and four high-responsivity, receive photodiodes
· Low-power, flip chip TIA with excellent sensitivity, overload, and error floor
· Analog controller IC which replaces multiple discrete components for laser bias, configuration and monitoring of silicon photonics, and TIA control
· Inphi’s Porrima Gen3 low-power, PAM4 DSP with integrated 56Gbaud laser driver (previously announced: Porrima Gen3 press release)
“Cloud Light is a premier supplier of advanced optical modules for data center interconnect and has a strong heritage of design and manufacturing with silicon photonic devices,” said Matt Davis, VP of Sales and Marketing for Cloud Light Technology Limited (“Cloud Light”).
“We are excited about Inphi’s silicon photonics solution and look forward to working with them to offer a compelling cost per bit solution for the industry.”
