Multilink announces 12.5 Gbits/sec electrical RZ modulator driver for next generation transport

Multilink Technology Corp., a provider of advanced semiconductor-based solutions that accelerate the deployment of high-speed optical networks, introduced the global availability of its first 10.7 to 12.5 Gbits/sec electrical return-to-zero (ERZ) modulator driver (MDR). The MTC5534 will enable equipment manufacturers to reduce return-to-zero (RZ) transmission costs by significantly reducing component count and increasing the line card density in their optical networks.

The Micro-Module MTC5534 is a precision low jitter (5 ps p-p typical) LiNbO3 modulator driver designed for generating optical RZ signal in combination with a LiNbO3 modulator. Traditionally, an optical RZ data stream is generated through a sequence of two stages of optical modulators and corresponding modulator drivers. This is not only very costly but also requires very complex and difficult control circuitry.

The MTC5534 main advantage is that through special shaping and control of its electrical output signal ? hence the term electrical RZ ? direct generation of a high quality optical RZ data stream signal can be achieved using a single modulator driver and a standard low cost, single-stage modulator. The MTC5534 thereby reduces the effort, size, and cost of implementing RZ transmission on a line card to approximately that of a traditional NRZ line card.

The MTC5534 is packaged in Multilink's Micro-Module package providing an ultra small ERZ solution. In addition, the MTC5534 is pinout compatible with Multilink's NRZ (non return-to-zero) Micro-Modules. This provides the ability for Multilink customers to reuse NRZ line card designs with minimal modifications for RZ transmission, thus providing significant reductions in development effort and manufacturing cost savings.

The MTC5534 provides long-haul and ultra-long-haul customers with critical features including: high output voltage (7.5V p-p), precision output signal equalization, output amplitude control, output pulse width control and precision amplitude monitoring circuitry. The MTC5534 output signal equalization is designed specifically to ensure that the signal provided to a standard modulator by the MTC5534 results in very high optical transmission performance. The result is that the optical signal performance achieved through the use of the MTC5534 is equivalent to that achieved through the traditional but much more complicated two-stage optical RZ signal generation approach.

The MTC5534 is packaged in an ultra-small 18 x 18 mm ball grid array (BGA) and includes a topside heat sink for robust thermal management. The MDR's advanced BGA package is extremely reliable and is designed to have a very wide bandwidth performance to preserve the reliability of the electrical RZ pulses.

MTC5534 product samples are available and being shipped to customers globally. It is priced at $3000 in sample quantities

For more information about Multilink Technology Corp. (Somerset, NJ), contact the company website at www.mltc.com.