Vitesse Semiconductor introduced the newest members in its family of high-performance SONET/SDH Serializer/Deserializer (SerDes) Integrated Circuits (ICs) developed using 0.18 micron CMOS technology. The VSC8142, VSC8145, and VSC8147 expand Vitesse's current line of 2.5 Gb/s transceivers by offering devices with increased functionality and performance, yet continue to migrate down the path of lower power dissipation. These devices are ideal solutions for 2.5Gb/s serial or 10 Gb/s parallel optical transponder modules, next generation Metro Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) systems, SONET/SDH transmission systems, or optical test equipment. A complete reference design including a Small Form Factor (SFF) optical module is available to support the design-in of these products.

The VSC8142 and VSC8145 are extended multi-rate SerDes devices with integrated Multiplexer, Demultiplexer, Clock Recovery Unit (CRU) and Clock Multiplier Unit (CMU) functions supporting OC-48, OC-12, OC-3 with or without Forward Error Correction (FEC), Gigabit Ethernet, Fibre Channel, 2x Fibre Channel, along with other various data rates. The VSC8147 supports OC-48 (with or without FEC). Applications requiring a 16-bit differential LVPECL low-speed host interface use the VSC8142 while the VSC8145 and VSC8147 support a 4-bit LVDS interface, electrically compliant with the OIF SFI-4 interface specifications.

"Vitesse was first to market with a SONET compliant OC-48 transceiver and these new low-power CMOS devices solidify our position as the leading supplier of 2.5 Gbs SerDes IC's," stated Mike Furlong, Vitesse's product marketing manager. Each device dissipates approximately 1W in power (typical) and exceeds the SONET ITU-T/Bellcore GR-253 requirements for jitter on both the high-speed clock and data outputs. Other features supported include loss of signal detection with automatic lock to reference clock, single or dual reference clock inputs, automatic FIFO synchronization, on-chip back termination with the high-speed clock and data outputs, low-speed data bit order swap for MSB/LSB selection, Rx/Tx loop timing mode, and complete test loopback.

The devices provide additional options for Vitesse's end-to-end product solution, providing customers with multi-rate products featuring industry-leading reductions in power, cost and board space. The VSC8145 and VSC8147 integrate seamlessly with the Vitesse VSC9211 2.5 Gb/s (FEC) bi-directional encoder/decoder, the VSC9112 Packet Over SONET (POS) framer, and the VSC9186 10 Gb/s pointer processor and frame aligner. A CRU bypass function is also supported so that Vitesse's adaptive-sampling/rate-agile standalone CRU (VSC8123) can be used.

Vitesse Semiconductor, Phone: 805-388-3700

Here's another CMOS product that puts increased pressure on the GaAs manufacturers as it handles up to 10 Gbs. It's not the 0.18 micron process technology that makes this so impressive, or even the multiplexer, demultiplexer, clock recovery unit and clock multiplier unit functions supporting OC-48, OC-12, OC-3; it's probably the control of the thermal at a typical 1 watt of heat dissipation. That's considerably lower than competing products using the same process technology.

The VSC81xx family of transceivers are targeting SONET Systems, Metro DWDM systems, ATM Switches, Fibre Channel Equipment, 2.5 Gbs Transponders, and 10 Gbs Parallel Transponders. A reference design demonstrating the integration of the VSC8145 with a SFF optics module and the Vitesse VSC9211 FEC device can be used by designers to simplify the design process. The reference design includes Infineon Technologies' SFF 2.5Gb/s OC-48 single mode optical transceiver (V23818-N15-L17). The Infineon transceiver has extremely low power dissipation and is compliant with the SFF Multi-Source Agreement. A similar reference design will be available for the VSC8142.

The VSC8142 is available in a 208-pin TBGA package and priced at $166.00 for quantities of 1000. General samples will be available in August 2001 with production quantities slated for October. The VSC8145 is available in 156-pin TBGA package and priced at $145.00 for quantities of 1000. General samples will be available in September 2001 with production quantities slated for November. The VSC8147 is available in 100-pin PQFP package and priced at $126.00 for quantities of 1000. General samples will be available in September 2001 with production quantities slated for November.