NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., Nov. 18 — Mindspeed Technologies, Inc., a leading supplier of semiconductor solutions for network infrastructure and data center applications, today announced a new device in the family of industry’s lowest-power and smallest footprint clock and data recovery (CDR) devices capable of supporting data rates up to 28 gigabits per second (Gbps).

High density front panel applications utilizing quad small form-factor pluggable (QSFP) modules and on-board optical engines driving optical backplanes require dramatic reductions in component power consumption and footprint. Mindspeed(R)’s new M37049 four-channel CDR supports data rates required for multiple standards, including 100G Ethernet, InfiniBand enhanced data rate (EDR), 32G Fibre Channel and optical transport network (OTU-4). This device is optimized for transmitter functions in optical modules and it complements the already available M37046 CDR device, which is optimized for the receiver functions. Both devices are packaged in 4×4.5 mm form factors, which make them an ideal chip-set solution for 100Gbps QSFP modules and active optical cables — a preferred form-factor for High Performance Computing (HPC) interconnect.

Molex Incorporated has used Mindspeed’s CDRs to demonstrate the industry’s first, fully retimed 100 Gbps PSM4 zQSFP+ Active Optical Cable (AOC), meeting stringent power consumption and thermal constraints of a small modular form factor. Molex is using Mindspeed’s next-generation devices to demonstrate its 100 Gbps single mode silicon photonics based AOCs at the Supercomputing Conference (SC13) this week.

“The transition of High Performance Computing interconnects to 100 Gbps connections drives the need for a retiming option in zQSFP+ AOCs and modules. The addition of retiming functions into these products creates flexibility for system designers, but poses footprint and thermal challenges for module suppliers,” said Adit Narasimha, director of active optics at Molex Incorporated. “Molex’s silicon photonics-based solutions in combination with Mindspeed’s transmit and receive CDR chip-set enable Molex to deliver optical interconnect solutions for HPC applications.”

The new M37049 device expands on Mindspeed’s family of signal conditioners, crosspoint switches and physical media devices (PMDs) for networking and enterprise solutions.

“Our new CDRs further expand Mindspeed’s product portfolio addressing 100 Gbps optical interconnect applications,” said Hasnain Bajwa, senior vice president and general manager, high-performance analog (HPA) at Mindspeed. “With this product, we are now delivering a complete retiming solution for small form factor optical assemblies, and we are excited to demonstrate them with Molex’s optical backplane infrastructure for the high performance computing applications.”

Mindspeed will be demonstrating these new CDR devices as part of Molex’s 100Gbps AOC demonstration in booth number 1141 at the 2013 Supercomputing Conference (SC13) from November 18-21, 2013 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado.

About Mindspeed Technologies

Mindspeed Technologies is a leading provider of network infrastructure semiconductor solutions to the communications industry. The company’s low-power system-on-chip (SoC) products are helping to drive video, voice and data applications in worldwide fiber-optic networks and enable advanced processing for 3G and long-term evolution (LTE) mobile networks. The company’s high-performance analog products are used in a variety of optical, enterprise, industrial and video transport systems. Mindspeed’s products are sold to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) around the globe. On November 5, 2013, Mindspeed announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by M/A-COM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MTSI), a leading supplier of high performance RF, microwave and millimeter wave products.

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Source: Mindspeed Technologies