Create a new generation of highly integrated optical module control cornerstone
The century-old modern history of mankind has achieved unprecedented rapid technological evolution in the past two decades. Smart Internet of Things, cloud, blockchain, big data, driverless driving… endless innovative technologies are subverting the traditional human life mode, and all these Backed by high-speed data connection infrastructure, modern cities are rapidly entering the era of 10G connections—10G enterprise access, 10G home broadband access, and 10G personal wireless access experience. The industry predicts that by 2030, the penetration rate of global 10 Gigabit enterprise WiFi will reach 40%; global optical fiber broadband users will reach 1.6 billion, and the penetration rate of 10 Gigabit household broadband will reach 23%; the total number of global connections will reach 200 billion, and the data generated globally It will reach 1YB, which is 23 times that of 2020.
Behind this, optical communication technology has played a key role. According to the latest report on the global optical module market released by the well-known market research organization LightCounting, the optical module market will be 8 billion US dollars in 2020, and it is expected to increase to 14.5 billion US dollars by 2026, with a compound growth rate of 10.4% in the global optical module market. “Whether it is the telecom side or the data center side, we have seen that the demand for optical modules is growing rapidly.” ADI Optical Communication Product Line Marketing and Application Manager Xia Xia pointed out at the recent China Optical Expo. As a provider of high-performance semiconductor solutions, ADI provides a wide range of product solutions such as control units, optical path circuits, and power supplies in the field of optical module applications. The new generation of optical module control solutions ADuCM43x that debuted at the Optical Expo In creating an extremely flexible platform solution + excellent system cost competitiveness, it is expected to become the “new favorite” in the 400G/800G optical module market.
|||| The latest multi-functional control platform is launched, and the fourth-generation optical module controller leads the rapid development trend
At the Optical Expo site, ADI focused on displaying its rich optical module-related product solutions, including the main series of products from the first generation to the fourth generation of controllers, optical module power solutions, thermoelectric cooler regulator modules, etc. . The control unit realizes the configuration, adjustment and real-time monitoring of various components inside the optical module through a single-chip microcomputer. When the module is powered on, the single-chip microcomputer loads and initializes the configuration of each chip. After the module works normally, the single-chip microcomputer monitors and adjusts the working status of each component in real time.
The ADuCM43x, the fourth-generation optical module controller series product, and the CMIS4.0 solution based on ADuCM430, which were launched for the first time, are undoubtedly the “flow responsibility” of the audience. “ADuCM43x series is a new generation of optical module control solutions developed by ADI’s local team. It mainly embodies general digital resources + differentiated memory + differentiated analog peripherals + Pin2Pin compatibility, providing an extremely flexible platform solution + excellent system cost Competitiveness.” Xia pointed out, “ADuCM43x is mainly for 200/400/800G DML/EML/silicon optical module applications, and is optimized for small size, low power consumption, and ease of use for high-speed optical modules, mainly reflecting the four major Advantage.”
The four major product advantages of ADuCM43x in the mouth of Xia Tian include——
1. High integration meets high channel density requirements of high-speed optical modules. In order to meet the high channel density requirements of high-speed optical modules, this highly integrated solution integrates a multi-channel 12-bit SAR ADC, a multi-channel voltage DAC, a multi-channel current output DAC, and a thermoelectric cooler (TEC) controller. The functions can only be realized by 4 chips, and it is packaged in a 5mm*5mm 121-pin BGA package, which is very suitable for the small size of future optical modules.
2. High-performance analog technology once again highlights ADI’s “housekeeping skills”. The ADC/DAC integrated on the chip has high linearity and noise indicators, while the MCU and TEC controllers have achieved maximum efficiency optimization, and the solution has obvious advantages in power consumption. At the same time, the chip has done a lot of optimization on the input and output pressure difference, and the input and output pressure difference is reduced, so that the power consumption of the chip is further reduced, and the performance is more in line with the needs of the current industry.
2. Ease of use accelerates product application landing. ADuCM43x is mainly aimed at the application of 200/400/800G DML/EML and silicon optical modules, and has different customized designs for different application scenarios. It can not only support small size, but also realize the channel of Flash size and analog resources. Flexible configuration of the number and other requirements, and even different package sizes can provide options. In addition, for 400G modules, ADuCM43x supports this year’s CMIS4.0 protocol, and at the same time launches supporting software that can help customers develop their software faster to adapt to CMIS4.0 protocol.
4. Research and development by ADI’s local team in China can better satisfy domestic users and ensure supply chain security. ADuCM43x is a new generation of ADI localized optical module control products, its launch will be able to better meet the domestic optical module market and customer design needs.
“ADI is very far-sighted. It has been very optimistic about China’s optical communication market for a long time. Since 2005, it has been laying out the optical communication product line. It has a history of nearly 20 years. Before ADuCM43x, there have been three generations of products and almost 20 models are completely produced by China. The local R&D team completed all the designs and successfully put them into the market, achieving great success, with an annual shipment of over 2 million pieces.” Regarding the last key point, Xia Tian added and emphasized.
ADI Optical Communication Product Layout and Evolution
|||| ADI’s fourth-generation iterative roadmap for optical module controllers, witnessing the rapid rise of China’s optical communications
At the Optical Expo site, ADI exhibited a full range of four-generation optical module control including the first-generation controller ADuC702X/712X, the second-generation ADuCM31x/ADuCM32x, the third-generation ADuCM420/410 and the fourth-generation controller product ADuCM43x. Among them, the earliest ADuC702X/712X is still widely used in optical modules in GPON/10G/25G/100G and other application scenarios. Strengthening the system support for local Chinese customers has always been one of the strategic goals of ADI China.
ADI’s six dimensions create the core competitiveness of optical module product solutions.
“From chip-level support to new technology and product field support, we have many very close and effective cooperation with Chinese communication equipment supplier customers, including completing a lot of work with them such as product definition and product application development. We continue to Based on the establishment of a deep partnership with Chinese customers, a series of very successful products have been developed.” Xia Tian said, “We are very optimistic about China’s potential in the field of optical communications. The fourth generation of products in the ADI R&D Center has witnessed and strongly supported The rapid development of China’s optical communication industry.”
In fact, the past decade or so has also been the golden period for the rapid development of Chinese optical module companies. According to LightCounting’s report data, in 2020, there are 6 domestic manufacturers among the top ten global optical module manufacturers on the list, dominating the global optical module market. Compared with 2010, only one Chinese company entered the top ten. Today, China’s optical communication module products occupy a leading share in the global market, and the ADI optical module controller is almost a common solution for these companies. “In China, the most active market, we need to establish a very close relationship with our customers, especially a technology-to-technology, engineer-to-engineer relationship, to help our customers solve the most difficult challenges, and at the same time Help our own products to do better.” Xia added, “Benefiting from the construction of data centers and the in-depth layout of 5G networks, the global market share of domestic optical module companies has increased, and the demand for downstream operators of optical modules has expanded. We are optimistic about the future of Chinese optical module companies. opportunities for further growth.”
|||| Actively create localized solutions, and empower the era of data deluge with a comprehensive product portfolio
As an important measure for ADI to implement the localization strategy in the Chinese market, ADI established the China Product Division and upgraded Analog Devices Semiconductor Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. to Analog Devices Investment Co., Ltd. at the end of last year. As ADI’s headquarters-type operating organization in China, based on this, ADI has achieved a more complete layout in the process of localization.
“The establishment of ADI’s China headquarters is based on localization considerations and layout. The launch of the new generation of optical module control series products ADuCM43x is a masterpiece of localization, whether it is from the front end of the product to IP design, or the packaging and testing of the back end. Manufacturing has been fully localized.” Xia pointed out, “ADI is willing to cooperate with all domestic optical module companies and optical device companies, and is even open to integrated packaging at the die level. With these measures, we can better serve Locally, this is also ADI’s investment and determination in the optical communication market, especially in China’s optical communication market.”
After ADI completed the acquisition of Maxim, it further enriched the product portfolio of optical transceiver applications
A small optical module is actually a complex optoelectronic system. In addition to optical devices and core control units, amplifiers, drivers, thermoelectric coolers, and power devices are essential. “ADI has a wealth of optical module core devices and peripheral devices, which provide a rich and flexible solution portfolio for optical module manufacturing. For example, our third-generation controller ADuCM410 has 16 ADC channels, but if customers need more ADI also has many general-purpose ADCs/DACs that can be matched to form a more complete solution, such as AD5770R; in addition, such as ADN8833, as a well-known TEC controller in the industry, continues to have a very wide range of applications in this market and very good Word-of-mouth.” When it comes to various product plans, Xia Tian is like a treasure.
