TriQuint begins producing industry’s first 40 and 100 Gb/s SMT amplifiers for major telecom manufacturers

OFC/NFOEC 2010, HILLSBORO & RICHARDSON, USA: TriQuint Semiconductor, a leading RF product manufacturer and foundry services provider, has begun high-volume production for major optical network manufacturers of new driver amplifiers, including the market’s first surface-mount technology (SMT) 40 and 100 Gb/s (gigabits per second) devices. TriQuint products ease assembly and significantly reduce power consumption for ‘greener’ wideband high-speed optical networks.

TriQuint’s new modulator drivers will be shown at the Optical Fiber Communication (OFC) Conference and Exhibition (March 22-25) in San Diego, CA (USA), Booth 1105.

TriQuint’s TGA4943-SL driver will also be featured in the Optical Internetworking Forum’s (OIF) showcase at the 2010 OFC exhibition. TGA4943-SL, the industry’s first 40 and 100 Gb/s surface mount driver, is ‘green’ technology in action since it operates using half the power of other devices: just 1.7 Watts. The TGA4943-SL is also available in an adaptive module for compatibility with legacy systems.

Another new device, the TGA4826-SM, was selected as a key component of the fiber system that powers Europe’s first 100 Gb/s link, which entered service in late 2009. TriQuint’s new modulator driver is ideally suited for optical network applications that need high drive combined with high linearity. The TGA4826-SM wideband amplifier offers very low power consumption (dissipation) and is available in a standard 6x6mm package.

In addition to announcing production of its 40 and 100 Gb/s modulator drivers, TriQuint is ramping its new smaller, low-power driver amplifier, TGA4956-SM, that offers enhanced performance for 10 Gb/s optical communications systems—a significant portion of today’s deployed fiber networks.

“TriQuint surface-mount modulator drivers have proven themselves in the market,” said Brian P. Balut, TriQuint Vice President. “Our drivers set standards, simplify RF connectivity and break new ground. We’re pleased to be supplying SMT amplifiers for the first commercial 100G European system.”

“Since entering the modulator driver market we have shipped nearly 500,000 SMTs; our new 40G and 100G products are designed for the move to higher-speed networks,” Mr. Balut added.

"Demand for bandwidth is maintaining the momentum behind growth of higher-speed networks, with 40 Gb/s networks expected to show an 80 percent CAGR over 2011-2013," noted Asif Anwar, Director, GaAs and Compound Semiconductor Technologies Service, Strategy Analytics. "The market for 100 Gb/s networks will also emerge over this timeframe and while still at an early stage, Strategy Analytics predicts a CAGR of 174 percent for 100 Gb/s networks over the same timeframe."

"TriQuint is a leader in developing optical driver amplifier technology based on proven GaAs processes that offer optimal performance while also reducing power dissipation and improving thermal operation. TriQuint's technology leadership makes the company well suited to meet the needs of the higher value, higher growth market demand from 10 Gb/s, 40 Gb/s and 100 Gb/s networks," concluded Anwar.

The need to expand high-speed fiber and wireless broadband capacity continues to grow in response to a global customer demand for faster, ‘always-on’ internet access supporting data-hungry smartphones and fixed access points, as well as wired and wireless network backhaul.

TriQuint simplifies RF connectivity for optical, point-to-point, CATV and cellular base station applications through its wide selection of product solutions that offer linearity, efficiency and reliability. TriQuint is working with leading network systems manufacturers and announced an agreement with China’s Huawei Technologies in 2009 to work on developing faster, more efficient networks.

TriQuint has also grown its broadband portfolio with the TriAccess line of CATV/Fiber to the Home (FTTH)/RF over Glass (RFoG) products that enable cable systems to expand capacity and cost-effectively offer ‘triple play’ (video-voice-internet) services through existing networks.