Inphi Corp. introduces high-speed NRZ-to-RZ converter for 10-Gbits/sec optical applications

July 22, 2002

July 22, 2002--Inphi Corporation, a privately held electro-optical components company, announced the introduction of the 13705RZ non?return-to-zero (NRZ) to return-to-zero (RZ) converter. This device electronically converts NRZ input signals to RZ output signals, which are then fed into a modulator driver for transmission over a fiber optic network.

Inphi Corp., a privately held electro-optical components company, announced the introduction of the 13705RZ non?return-to-zero (NRZ) to return-to-zero (RZ) converter. This device electronically converts NRZ input signals to RZ output signals, which are then fed into a modulator driver for transmission over a fiber optic network.

The 13705RZ is designed for use in SONET OC-192 (10 Gbits/sec) long-haul and ultra long-haul optical transport systems that require a high-quality signal to be maintained along the entire length of the fiber, ensuring the information carried can be interpreted correctly at its final destination.

The 13705RZ supports data rates of up to 12.5 Gbits/sec with sufficient overhead for forward-error correction (FEC) while holding power consumption to less than 1 watt. Inphi's converter has an output voltage of 1.2 volts peak-to-peak differential, typical rise and fall times of less than 15 picoseconds, and typical jitter of less than 1 picosecond rms. The 13705RZ has an adjustable pulse width and operates off a ?5.2 volt power supply. It is compatible with both differential and single-ended RZ modulator drivers.

"The 13705RZ yields superior results compared with existing converters," said Kevin Nary, vice president of engineering at Inphi. "Since RZ signals are used for ultra
long haul transmission, signal integrity is of paramount importance. With very low jitter and low rise and fall times, the 13705RZ is ideally suited for this application."

RZ modulation formats offer a number of advantages over NRZ modulation schemes. For example, RZ modulation is better suited to long haul and ultra long haul applications because it can maintain the integrity of the signal over longer distances as it travels through the network. Moreover, RZ formatting has a lower bit error rate and is less susceptible to fiber nonlinearities and dispersion effects, which can cause the signal to spread as it travels through the fiber and render it unintelligible.

The 13705RZ is currently sampling with OEM customers and is available for purchase on an evaluation board in either a 22-pin surface mount package or as bare die.

For more information about Inphi Corp. (Westlake Village, CA), visit the company's website at www-inphi-corp.com.