Create Small Form Factor 10G Passive Optical Network Applications with Microchip's PolarFire FPGA Burst Mode Receiver

CHANDLER, Ariz., Dec. 13, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- While most current optical line terminal (OLT) implementations are in central office formats with large port counts in huge chassis configurations, there is growing demand amongst system architects, chief technology officers and carriers for fewer port, compact, low-power and low-cost form factors for 10G passive optical network (PON) OLTs. Microchip Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: MCHP), through its Microsemi Corporation subsidiary, provides industry-leading support for these capabilities with the first and only field programmable gate array (FPGA) for 10G PON OLT implementation in compact form factor. The new PolarFire FPGA burst mode receiver (BMR) solution is also the only offering of its kind enabling 10G PON solutions in small form factor pluggable (SFP) and 10 Gb SFP (XFP) footprints.

Microchip's new BMR solution enables customers to build OLTs in unprecedented small form factor modules while drawing the lowest power in extreme thermal environments. Completely customizable with the industry's fastest (10.8 nanosecond) lock times in mid-range FPGAs for PONs, the BMR enables a compact PON solution in tiny optical module-based form factors. As an increasingly popular telecommunications technology used to provide fiber to the end consumer, PONs implement a point-to-multipoint architecture using unpowered fiber optic splitters to enable a single optical fiber serving multiple end points.

"The PolarFire FPGA BMR solution is a game changer for our clients designing 10G PON applications because it fundamentally changes the way they build, deploy and maintain systems," said Shakeel Peera, vice president of FPGA marketing for Microchip's Programmable Solutions business unit. "The combination of PolarFire FPGAs and the new BMR technology enables designers to build unique, proprietary solutions that address the key challenges of reducing power consumption and heat dissipation of PON equipment, while delivering the small formfactor their end customers are demanding to expand remote deployment choices for carriers."

Complementary Microchip solutions include the new SY88029L burst mode limiting amplifier. With burst mode signal detect time of less than 7 nanoseconds, the SY88029L is the first limiting amplifier fully compliant with XGSPON and NGPON2 timing requirements.

Development Tools

Microchip's new PolarFire FPGA 10G PON BMR solution comes with complete with a suite of tools to enhance designers' application development efforts, including a reference design, Libero Integrated Design Environment (IDE) software and a hardware kit.

Pricing and Availability

The new PolarFire FPGA 10G PON BMR solution is available now, and is free for current subscribers of Microchip's Libero design suite. For more information, visit www.microsemi.com/polarfirebmr or contact [email protected]. 

About Microchip

Microchip Technology Inc. is a leading provider of microcontroller, analog, FPGA, connectivity and power management semiconductors. Its easy-to-use development tools and comprehensive product portfolio enable customers to create optimal designs which reduce risk while lowering total system cost and time to market. The company's solutions serve more than 130,000 customers across the industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and computing markets. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, Microchip offers outstanding technical support along with dependable delivery and quality. For more information, visit the Microchip website at www.microchip.com.

Source: Microchip Technology Inc.

Note: The Microchip name and logo, the Microchip logo, Microsemi and PolarFire are registered trademarks of Microchip Technology Incorporated in the U.S.A. and other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the property of their respective companies.

SOURCE Microchip Technology Inc.