Ullas Singh

A 500 mW ADC-Based CMOS AFE With Digital Calibration for 10 Gb/s Serial Links Over KR-Backplane and Multimode Fiber

This paper presents the design of an analog-front-end (AFE) integrated into a DSP-based transceiver for both serial 10 Gbps KR-backplane and long-reach-multimode-fiber (LRM) applications. The receiver consists of a programmable gain amplifier (PGA) and a 6-bit 4-way time-interleaved ADC, which is digitally calibrated to compensate for the offset, gain and phase mismatches between the interleaved channels. With a 5 GHz input signal, the ADC achieves overall SNDR of 29 dB, while the measured SNDR of flash sub-ADC is 31.6 dB. The power efficiency FoM of the complete interleaved ADC is 1.4 pJ per conversion step. The PLL uses a calibrated LC-VCO and the TX features a full-rate 3-tap de-emphasis at the output. Inductively tuned buffers connected in tandem are employed to distribute the 10 GHz clock. Random and deterministic jitter measured at the TX output are 0.38 psrms and 2.65 pspp, respectively. Implemented in 65 nm CMOS technology, the AFE occupies an area of 3 mm2 and consumes 500 mW from a 1 V supply. BER of less than 10-15 is measured over legacy backplanes with 26 dB loss at Nyquist and the measured transceiver optical sensitivity is less than -13 dBm for all four LRM stressors, exceeding both the KR and the LRM specifications.

21.7 A 500mW digitally calibrated AFE in 65nm CMOS for 10Gb/s Serial links over backplane and multimode fiber

The demand for bandwidth has fueled the deployment of 10Gb/s traffic over legacy data links such as serial backplanes (10GBase-KR) and multimode fiber (10GBase-MMF) which were originally intended for much lower data rates [1,2]. Under severe channel impairments, a DSP-based transceiver provides robust performance and enables power/area scaling with processes [3–5]. This work describes a 65nm CMOS AFE integrated in a DSP-based PHY for 10Gb/s KR/MMF applications.

An 8.5–11.5-Gbps SONET Transceiver With Referenceless Frequency Acquisition

An 8.5-11.5Gbps SONET transceiver with a referenceless CDR employing an algorithmic frequency acquisition scheme (without using any training sequence) is designed in a 65nm digital CMOS process. A modified digital quadricorrelator frequency detector (M-DQFD) is incorporated into an LC-based VCO coarse tuning adjustment. The transceiver complies with stringent SONET OC-192 jitter requirements. Within a 400μs acquisition time, the RX achieves a high-frequency jitter tolerance of 0.58UIpp at 10mVpp-diff input sensitivity. The TX serial output exhibits a random jitter (RJ) of 205fs (rms). The transceiver occupies 0.97mm2 and consumes 141mA at 1.0V.

A Sub-2 W 39.8–44.6 Gb/s Transmitter and Receiver Chipset With SFI-5.2 Interface in 40 nm CMOS

The introduction of 40Gb/s networks, spurred by 40Gb/s WDM growth, can alleviate bandwidth bottlenecks of Internet infrastructure while simultaneously reducing operating costs. Increasingly, standard CMOS technology is used to enable transceiver speeds [1-5] previously achievable only by using expensive bipolar technology. However, at 40Gb/s, limited channel bandwidth coupled with stringent receiver jitter tolerance requirements demands better solutions than exist currently.

A 3.8 mW/Gbps Quad-Channel 8.5–13 Gbps Serial Link With a 5 Tap DFE and a 4 Tap Transmit FFE in 28 nm CMOS

This paper presents a quad-lane serial transceiver that supports virtually all data center communication standards around 8.5-13 Gbps, implemented in 28 nm CMOS technology. The transmitter consists of 20:2 mux followed by a half-rate source-series terminated (SST) driver embedded with a 4 tap FFE and an analog equalizer. The receiver has an adaptive CTLE, 5 tap DFE, and fully digital CDR followed by 2:20 demux. At 13 Gbps, the transceiver can equalize 35 dB Nyquist loss at BER of 10-12. At 1.0 V supply, the transceiver consumes 49 mW/lane at 13 Gbps rate with full equalization capability. An LC VCO-based fractional PLL provides the clocking to quad TX/RX lanes using a low-power inductively tuned clock routing channel. The transceiver architecture not only enables the baud rate operation from 8.5 to 13 Gbps but also supports a wide range of oversampled subrates. This work represents the lowest reported power in its class to date, and the transceiver is suitable for many applications due to its comprehensive flexibility and power efficiency.

A Dual-Channel 23-Gbps CMOS Transmitter/Receiver Chipset for 40-Gbps RZ-DQPSK and CS-RZ-DQPSK Optical Transmission

This paper describes a dual-channel 23 (20 to 27) Gbps chipset designed in a 40-nm CMOS process for 40 Gbps differential quadrature phase-shift keying (DQPSK) optical transmission. The transmitter has a 2-tap FIR filter and generates two channels of full-rate data. Data outputs exhibit 10 ps rise/fall times, 0.2 psrms RJ, 0.8 pspp DJ, and a ±0.5 UI skew adjustment relative to the full-rate and half-rate clock outputs. The receiver has two 20-27-Gbps input channels, with each channel including a peaking filter, decision threshold adjustment, and 1-tap loop-unrolled DFE. It achieves a 7- mVppd input sensitivity and a 0.7-UIpp high-frequency jitter tolerance. The transmitter and receiver dissipate 0.63 and 1.2 W, respectively.

A dual 23Gb/s CMOS transmitter/receiver chipset for 40Gb/s RZ-DQPSK and CS-RZ-DQPSK optical transmission

This paper presents the first CMOS dual bitrate chipset with equalization in transmitter and receiver as well as a clock to data skew adjustment. Both the transmitter and the receiver consume less power than those in previously published results in the works of Hosida et al. (2007).

11.3 Gbps CMOS SONET Compliant Transceiver for Both RZ and NRZ Applications

In this paper, an 11.3 Gbps CMOS SONET compliant transceiver designed to work in both RZ and NRZ data formats is presented. Using a configurable high-speed transmit path utilizing an AND gate and a duty cycle adjustment circuit, the transmitter can switch output format between RZ and NRZ. The TX driver exhibits 17 ps rise/fall times, 0.25 psrms RJ, and 2 pspp DJ. In RZ mode, TX output duty cycle can be adjusted within 40-60% range. To improve input sensitivity in both RZ and NRZ reception, the receiver incorporates a limiting amplifier with a distributed threshold adjustment circuit. It achieves 5 mVpp-diff RX input sensitivity with 0.54 UI high-frequency jitter tolerance. An adaptation scheme based on nested linear search is implemented to control the distributed threshold adjustment circuit. While demonstrating the integration of RZ/NRZ functionality into a single-chip solution using 65 nm CMOS technology, the transceiver core occupies 1.36 mm2 and consumes 214 mW.

3.4 A 36Gb/s PAM4 transmitter using an 8b 18GS/S DAC in 28nm CMOS

At data rates beyond 10Gb/s, most wireline links employ NRZ signaling. Serial NRZ links as high as 56Gb/s and 60Gb/s have been reported [1]. Nevertheless, as the rate increases, the constraints imposed by the channel, package, and die become more severe and do not benefit from process scaling in the same fashion that circuit design does. Reflections from impedance discontinuities in the PCB and package caused by vias and connectors introduce significant signal loss and distortions at higher frequencies. Even with an ideal channel, at every package-die interface, there is an intrinsic parasitic capacitance due to the pads and the ESD circuit amounting to at least 150fF, and a 50Ω resistor termination at both the transmit and receive ends resulting in an intrinsic pole at 23GHz or lower. In light of all these limitations, serial NRZ signaling beyond 60Gb/s appears suboptimal in terms of both power and performance. Utilizing various modulation techniques such as PAM4, one can achieve a higher spectral efficiency [2]. To enable such transmission formats, high-speed moderate-resolution data converters are required. This paper describes a 36Gb/s transmitter based on an 18GS/s 8b DAC implemented in 28nm CMOS, compliant to the new IEEE802.3bj standard for 100G Ethernet over backplane and copper cables [3].

A 3.8 mW/Gbps quad-channel 8.5–13 Gbps serial link with a 5-tap DFE and a 4-tap transmit FFE in 28 nm CMOS

This paper presents a quad-lane serial link that supports virtually all data center system-side and line-side communications standards from 8.5-13 Gbps, implemented in 28 nm CMOS. The Tx is series source terminated with a 4-tap FFE. Its swing ranges from 33 mV to 1 Vppd. The Rx has CTLE, 5-tap DFE and CDR with 2x-oversampling, and baud-rate timing recovery options. At 13 Gbps, the link can equalize 35 dB loss at Nyquist frequency with BER of 10-12. The link consumes 49 mW per lane at 13 Gbps. This is the lowest reported power in its class to date, and with comprehensive programmability for a wide range of standards.