VCSEL-Based: High Speed Interconnects in Consumer Application

 SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun. 13, 2012-- GigOptix, Inc. (NYSE MKT:GIG), a leading fabless supplier of semiconductor and optical components that enable high speed information streaming, today announced that its high speed optical driver and receiver HXR/T4104 chipset is being utilized by a leading consumer electronics manufacturer in their high speed data interconnect module used for High Definition (HD) TV and next generation HD information transfer. The devices enable much higher data transfer rates over longer distances and at lower costs compared with competing technologies.

The optical module is current employed in a high definition camera and the application is pushing the technology envelope from HD TV at 3.7Gbps to next generation HD transfer speeds beyond 40Gbps that will enable increases of 4 times the frame rate and support multi-view HD 3D imaging. The consumer electronics manufacturer has for the first time enabled a mass production technology for VCSEL based optical interconnect modules by eliminating the need for lenses to couple the fiber to the VCSEL. This was enabled by the development of a new assembly technology that connects the optical fiber with the VCSEL using a silicon interposer that enables the fully automated assembly of the module. The resulting module is capable of transmitting data at up to 40Gbps and this not only provides much higher data rates over longer distances but also is more cost competitive compared to existing copper interconnect solutions.

GigOptix’s HXR/T4104 chipset comprises the HXT4104 4x10.3Gb/s parallel VCSEL driver and the HXR4104 4x10.3Gb/s parallel limiting TIA. These two devices address 40Gbps active cable and consumer applications. The HXR/T4104 chipset simplifies system design by being fully programmable via an industry standard 2-wire interface. This provides full control of signal peaking, modulation and average currents in addition to providing access to temperature and output power monitoring on a channel by channel basis.

“We are thrilled to see deployment of our optical driver and receiver technology moving into high volume applications,” commented Andrea Betti-Berutto, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer of GigOptix. “Increasing amounts of data are used in modern consumer applications and legacy copper based interconnects are being challenged to transfer data at the speeds and at the low power being demanded by consumer applications. Optical communication has been adopted by both telecom and datacom markets since it inherently transfers data faster and with lower power compared to copper-based communication. Optical communication has been less attractive for consumer applications to date due to the higher manufacturing costs. We are very excited to see a leading consumer electronics player solve this issue and enable optical communications in consumer applications.”

For more information, please contact your local sales manager via sales@gigoptix.com.

About GigOptix, Inc.
GigOptix is a leading supplier of semiconductor and optical components that enable high speed information streaming and address emerging high growth opportunities in the communications, industrial, defense and avionics industries. The Company offers a unique broad portfolio of Drivers, TIAs and TFPS^TM optical modulators for 40G, 100G and 400G fiber-optic telecommunications and data-communications networks, and high performance MMIC solutions that enable next generation wireless microwave systems up to 90GHz. GigOptix also offers a wide range of ASIC solutions through its ChipX product line.