HiLight Semiconductor sampling HLC10Px series CMOS combo ICs

Aug. 17, 2017

HiLight Semiconductor Ltd. says that engineering samples and reference kits for the first members of its series of CMOS "combo" ICs supporting 1, 2.5 and 10 or 12.5 Gbps rates are now available. Low power and fully programmable, the HLC10Px series provides support for all PON markets, as well as future VCSEL and FP/DFB versions for Ethernet, CPRI, and related applications.

The HLC10Px series is designed to provide five-in-one functionality in a compact 5x5 QFN package. The series features:

Burst mode laser driver that delivers over 80 mA modulation current, while supporting 1 and 2.5 Gbps GPON or 10 Gbps asymmetric 10G PON operation or 10 Gbps symmetric PON (depending on IC version).

Patented dual loop laser power controller that delivers automatic extinction ratio control over the -40 to +85 degree ambient operating temperature.

Limiting amplifier with programmable pre-emphasis and <5 mV sensitivity at 10 Gbps, as well as a programmable filter for enhancing optimization sensitivity at lower data rates.

8051 Microcontroller core and 16k NVM with embedded PON firmware pre-loaded, but with the option of full customer re-programmability.

PWM APD bias generator programmable to 70 V.

Under 400 mW power consumption at maximum laser power.

According to HiLight, HLC10Px series members are often paired with HiLight CMOS TIAs. Typically, this includes the HLR2S50 -31 dBm (BER 1E-10) at 2.5 Gbps with a photodiode, or the HLR10G1 -33 dBm (BER 1E-3) at 10 Gbps, with APD.

"Over the last 15+ years, our industry has seen the huge success of PON technology worldwide, supporting the staggering growth in all kinds of internet traffic. However, with no end in sight to that traffic growth, network operators are inevitably looking at the next, faster generations of PON," said Gary Steele, HiLight executive chairman. "As with EPON and GPON, at 10 Gbps there will likely be a mix of different standards deployed across the globe, and our ICs have been designed to accommodate all of them. In particular, whereas previous ICs have had hard-wired digital functionality, the HiLight Combos have an embedded microcontroller plus non-volatile memory, permitting wide-ranging adaptability to future markets and standards evolution".

The company says it will release additional family members later this year offering VCSEL drive for Ethernet markets and 12.5 Gbps CW laser operation for CPRI, etc., cellular infrastructure.

For related articles, visit the Optical Technologies Topic Center.

For more information on communications ICs and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer's Guide.