High speed PAM4 SERDES protocols up to 448Gbps are required for next generation high speed ethernet communication (1.6TbE and 800GbE). High-speed Swift™ data acquisition and signal-processing solutions are vital building blocks to enable these standards.

SWIFT™ Data Converters and Wideband Signal Processing™for Data Center Communications:

• Enabling High-Speed Optical and Copper Interconnects:

  • Multi-GS/s Operation: SWIFT™ DACs with multi-gigasample-per-second rates (e.g., >9 GS/s) are crucial for generating the high-bandwidth signals required for driving optical modulators in fiber optic transceivers (800G, 1.6T, and beyond) and for high-speed copper interconnects (e.g., PAM4 signaling up to 448 Gbps SERDES for 1.6TbE Ethernet).

  • High Linearity and Low Noise: Achieving low Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) and high Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) is paramount for reliable high-order modulation schemes used in data center interconnects. SWIFT™ converters are designed for high linearity and low noise to minimize signal distortion and ensure data integrity over high-speed links.  

    
    

• Low Power Consumption for High-Density Deployments:

  • Power Efficiency: The SWIFT™ architecture prioritizes ultra-low power consumption, which is a critical advantage in densely packed data center environments where power and thermal management are significant concerns. Lower power dissipation per converter translates to reduced overall data center power consumption and cooling requirements.

    
    

• Integration for Compact Footprint:

  • Integrated AFEs: The availability of integrated Analog Front-Ends (AFEs) incorporating multiple SWIFT™ ADCs/DACs along with other analog components (LDOs, references, clock management) reduces the board footprint and complexity of high-speed communication modules within data centers.

    
    

• Support for IQ Modulation/Demodulation:

  • IQ Converters: Availability of IQ ADCs and DACs simplifies the implementation of complex modulation formats used in high-speed data transmission over both optical and copper media within data centers.

OmniTRUST™ PVT Monitoring Solutions for Data Center Communications:

• Optimizing Performance through Adaptive Biasing:

  • Real-time PVT Tracking: Continuous monitoring of process variations, voltage fluctuations, and temperature gradients within high-speed communication SoCs (SERDES, transceivers) allows for dynamic adjustment of transistor biasing to maintain optimal performance (e.g., minimizing jitter, maximizing signal integrity) across varying operating conditions.  

    
    

• Enhancing Energy Efficiency with DVFS:

  • Accurate Thermal and Voltage Sensing: Precise temperature and voltage monitoring enable fine-grained Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) of communication ICs. This allows for reducing power consumption during periods of lower data traffic or thermal headroom, significantly contributing to the overall energy efficiency of the data center. Saving even small percentages of power at the chip level can translate to substantial cost savings at data center scale.  

    
    

• Improving Reliability and Lifetime of Communication Hardware:

  • Predictive Reliability: Real-time PVT data can be used to predict potential hardware degradation due to thermal stress or voltage wear-out in high-speed communication components. This allows for proactive adjustments to operating conditions to extend the lifespan and ensure the long-term reliability of data center infrastructure.  

    
    

• Enabling Fine-Grained Thermal Management:

  • Localized Temperature Sensing: OmniTRUST™ PVT monitors provide localized temperature information within the communication IC. This enables more precise and efficient thermal management strategies at the chip and system level, optimizing cooling resources within the data center.  

    
    

• Optimizing Manufacturing Yield and Characterization:

  • Process Variation Analysis: PVT monitors provide valuable data on process variations across different silicon dies, which can be used to optimize manufacturing processes and improve the characterization of high-speed communication ICs for data center applications.