Serial Analog ICs Groomed For Fiber-Optic Datacomm Transceiver Mart

Silicon geranium (SiGe) technology has been tapped to produce a family of serial analog ICs for use in fiber-optic datacomm transceivers operating up to 3.5 Gb/s--as with wireless handset transceivers, fiber-optic datacomm transceivers require complex analog circuitry to transmit and receive signals. Marking the company's entry into the optical communications arena, the family includes limiting amplifiers, receivers and laser drivers. The devices are targeted at high-volume, short-haul markets, such as for LANs, SANs, and PONs. Presently, four devices are available. For use in optical receivers employing a separate transimpedance amplifier topology, the RF3730 limiting amplifier requires 3.3V at 35 mA (typ.) and features I/O internally matched to 50 ohms (100 ohms differential) to deliver an I/O return loss of better than -10 dB. Price of the 4 x 4-mm, 16-pin leadless device is $4.30 each/10K. Intended for use as a complete analog receiver, excluding photodiode, the RF3740 includes a high gain transimpedance amplifier, limiting amplifier, and a loss-of-signal alarm. It requires 3.3V at 65 mA (typ.) and costs in a bare die configuration $7.53 each/10K. The RF3750 and RF3760 are integrated laser drivers with an automatic power control loop and failure alarm. Optimized for VCSEL-based systems, RF3750 requires 3.3V at 20 mA quiescent current and dissipates 210 mW when operating at its maximum. RF3760 is optimized for Fabry-Perot and distributed feedback edge emitting laser applications and requires 3.3V at 25 mA quiescent current and dissipates 412 mW at its operating maximum. Both devices come in 3 mm x 3 mm, 16-pin leadless packages costing $3.73 each/10K. For more details, contact Kevin Walsh at RF MICRO DEVICES INC., Greensboro, NC. (336) 664-1233.