Teranetics TN8044 quad physical-layer IC
The once-unthinkable 10-Gbit/s data transmission over a copper twisted-pair cable is now rather routine. In fact, we’re now into the third generation of 10GBaseT products that consume considerably less power. Along these lines comes a new quad physical-layer (PHY) device (see the figure) for designers of high-density Ethernet switches to be used in data centers.
Teranetics’ 40-nm TN8000 family includes the TN8044 quad-port 10GBaseT PHY for the latest dense, high-efficiency switch designs, and the power-efficient TN8022 (dual-port) and TN8020 (single-port) devices for 10GBaseT adapter card designs. Housed in a 27- by 27-mm ball-gird array (BGA) package, the TN8044 is the industry’s smallest quad-10GBaseT PHY, according to Teranetics.
The TN8000 family dissipates less than 4 W per port at a full 100 m and as little as 2 W per port in short-reach mode. In addition, the devices support triple-rate Ethernet (100M/1G/10G) and MACSec capability, permitting secure local-area network (LAN) data transmission.
The family also supports the emerging Energy Efficient Ethernet standard (EEE, or IEEE 802.3az). While operating over existing infrastructure, the devices can reduce the power consumption of Ethernet transceivers (PHYs) when the actual data rate required is less than the peak available rate.
Data-center switch and server vendors that want to offer dense arrays of high-speed Ethernet connections can opt for the small-form-factor TN8044 PHYs, which offer low power dissipation. The devices can handle even denser equipment, such as high-performance computing that demands 10-Gbit Ethernet densities, by supporting quad-port designs with high performance and low power.
The reduced external component count enables further reductions in the cost of 10GBaseT ports. The TN8000 family allows multiple PHYs to share reference clocks and power regulators, as well as integrates an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter that previously was built with external components on the printed-circuit board. In addition, media-dependent interface (MDI) test capabilities reduce manufacturing costs by increasing the equipment manufacturer’s final yield and decreasing test time.