Velocium Debuts 10-Gig, 40-Gig Gizmos

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Velocium, TRW's (NYSE: TRW) telecommunication components company, has developed the highest-performing 40 gigabit-per-second modulator driver IC for fiber optic systems announced to date. The driver was designed with 50 GHz of bandwidth for use in 40 Gb/s high-speed optical transmission systems such as OC-768/STM 256 and for use in communications test equipment. The AUH232 modulator driver delivers an 8-volt peak-to-peak single-ended output suitable to drive LiNbO3 modulators at 43 Gb/s with margin. Serving as an output stage amplifier producing a high-voltage, high-speed signal, the 0.1-micron gallium arsenide pHEMT-based AUH232 delivers an 8-volt peak-to-peak single-ended output voltage at 43 Gb/s when driven with an input of less than 3 volts peak-to-peak. The AUH232's robust performance provides module and board-level margin over temperature, operating conditions and life with a low 1.25-watt maximum power dissipation. Providing up to 50 GHz of bandwidth, the AUH232 features a rise time estimated at less than 8 ps as well as variable gain and eye cross-point control capability allowing optimization of the output to the optical modulator. "The fourfold jump in bandwidth required for 40 Gb/s fiber optic transmission systems compared to 10 Gb/s, places severe performance demands on semiconductor process technology," said Frank Kropschot, director of business development, Velocium. "The AUH232 not only exceeds 40Gb/s performance requirements with margin, but it is fabricated using Velocium's space-proven advanced GaAs process and high-volume foundry." In a separate release: Velocium, TRW's (NYSE: TRW) commercial telecommunication components company, has developed a non-return-to-zero (NRZ) to return-to-zero (RZ) converter produced in indium phosphide (InP) technology. Designed for use in 10 gigabit-per-second fiber-optic transmission systems, the UCJ106 -- the first in a family of electronic RZ solutions specifically targeting the OC-192/STM64 ultra-long haul, long-haul and metro-fiber systems -- provides a more cost-effective solution for RZ format transmission than conventional optical approaches. The UCJ106 electronically converts NRZ signals to an RZ modulation format for input into a modulator driver. The UCJ106 is capable of running up to 12.7 Gb/s providing overhead room for the most robust Forward Error Correction algorithms. With power consumption under 1 watt, the UCJ106 also provides a voltage-controlled pulse-width adjustment capability as well as differential inputs and outputs. "By utilizing TRW's advanced InP process for our UCJ106 NRZ-to-RZ converter, we can meet the higher bandwidth performance required for RZ modulation at lower power compared to alternative solutions," said Frank Kropschot, director of business development, Velocium. "From a system perspective, the UCJ106 eliminates the need for an additional optical modulator, therefore reducing overall system cost and complexity." Velocium For more information on OFC 2002, please visit: www.nottheofc.com