ClariPhy announces MLSE-based CDR for line cards with 10Gb/s tunable XFP+ modules

OFC/NFOEC 2010, IRVINE, USA: ClariPhy Communications, Inc., a fabless semiconductor company specializing in high speed communications ICs, has announced shipment of its CL1012 clock and data recovery (CDR) IC with maximum likelihood sequence estimation (MLSE) into line cards with Tunable XFP and XFP+ modules for 10 Gb/s optical networking.

As video and other consumer applications dramatically increase the demand for bandwidth in telecommunications networks, equipment vendors are responding with higher density, higher performing DWDM platforms. The transition from 300 pin to tunable XFP optical modules more than doubles port density, while the incorporation of MLSE-based electronic dispersion compensation (EDC) on the line card significantly increases reach and tolerance to impairments while reducing network costs.

ClariPhy and JDSU will demonstrate a tunable XFP+ solution, using JDSU’s optical modules and ClariPhy’s CL1012 IC, at the OFC 2010 conference in San Diego, March 22-25. The demonstration will take place in ClariPhy’s private suite.

“The Tunable XFP+ ecosystem continues to mature with the availability of Tunable XFP+ modules from JDSU and an MLSE IC from ClariPhy,” said Tom Fawcett, Senior Director of Marketing, Transmission Modules at JDSU. “Line cards using JDSU’s Tunable XFP+ modules and ClariPhy’s CL1012 IC will deliver the density and performance that the market demands.”

The “+” in XFP+ refers to an optical module with a linear interface in its receive path, which enables the full performance benefit from an EDC IC on the line card that the module plugs into. This is analogous to SFP+, which supports a linear interface and is the leading optical module for 10G Ethernet applications.

While the CL1012 IC supports both XFP and XFP+ tunable modules, the proven benefits of MLSE are fully realized with the + version of the module. These benefits include improved tolerance to major impairments in telecom networks – chromatic dispersion (CD), first and second order polarization mode dispersion (PMD), and nonlinear distortion.

The CL1012 has ½ the power and ¼ the area of competing MLSE solutions, and achieves higher performance by design than alternative EDC architectures such as decision feedback equalization. Carriers deploying the CL1012 and tunable XFP+ modules in their transport platforms will realize both opex and capex savings by reducing or eliminating expensive and bulky optical dispersion compensation equipment, avoiding the need for fiber characterization, and enabling the use of a greater percentage of their installed fiber.

“We are excited to participate with JDSU in the emerging Tunable XFP+ ecosystem,” said Dr. Paul Voois, Co-founder and CEO of ClariPhy. “JDSU’s tunable XFP and XFP+ modules set a new benchmark in achievable port density in DWDM equipment, while the high tolerance of the CL1012 to CD and PMD will enable carriers to lower their operational costs by avoiding the need for expensive optical dispersion compensation gear and time-consuming fiber characterization effort.”

The CL1012 is available now. The device is packaged in a 10x10 mm, 144-pin BGA and dissipates less than 2 watts of power. A CL1012 evaluation board is also available. This board includes an XFP cage and enables rapid evaluation of the benefits of the CL1012 for a tunable XFP+ application.