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MaxLinear Targets 100Gbps Small Form Factor Optical Transceivers with New MxL9101 TIA

March 21, 2016
  • Company’s Four-Channel 28Gbps Transimpedance Amplifier Offers Best-In-Class Sensitivity And Lowest Power Dissipation

MaxLinear Inc. (NYSE: MXL), a leading provider of radio frequency (RF) and mixed-signal integrated circuits for cable and satellite broadband communications, the connected home, and for data center, metro, and long-haul fiber networks, announced the MxL9101 28Gbps transimpedance amplifier (TIA) array optimized for low-power 100Gbps optical transceivers.

The MxL9101 is a high dynamic range, four-channel 28Gbps TIA that is designed for use in receive modules of 100Gbps Ethernet optical transceivers. The device features best-in-industry sensitivity and overload for robust signal reception in SR4/PSM4/CLR4/LR4 applications. When combined with an avalanche photodiode (APD), the receiver can also support ER4-lite applications. The TIA features the industry’s lowest power dissipation of 0.32W and adjustable bandwidth control

All of these features make the part ideal for small form-factor pluggable transceivers including CFP, CFP2, CFP4 and QSFP28 form factors.

“The 100Gigabit per second transceiver market is in the first inning of a several million unit rollout. So, optical module designers are imposing extremely tight constraints on the power consumption of the transceiver components, and are demanding very high sensitivity performance, especially in small form-factor products such as QSFP28 pluggable targeting data centers,” said Brendan Walsh, MaxLinear’s Vice President of Marketing for Infrastructure Products. “The MxL9101 addresses these customer needs perfectly and expands our 100G+ product portfolio to offer transceiver manufacturers a complete TIA solution for high-speed networks.”

Technical Highlights

The MxL9101 features:

  • 32W typical power consumption
  • Best-in-class dynamic range
  • Bandwidth control
  • > 45dB CH-CH isolation
  • Photodiode bias
  • Receiver signal strength indicator (RSSI)
  • Die size of 3.2mm x 1.6mm

About MaxLinear, Inc.

MaxLinear, Inc. is a provider of integrated, radio frequency, and mixed-signal integrated circuits for broadband communications and data center, metro, and long-haul transport network applications. MaxLinear is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.  For more information, please visit www.maxlinear.com.

MxL, Full-Spectrum Capture, FSC and the MaxLinear logo are trademarks of MaxLinear, Inc. Other trademarks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners.

Cautionary Note About Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, among others, statements concerning or implying future financial performance or trends and growth opportunities affecting MaxLinear, including statements related to the performance of the MxL9101. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We cannot predict whether or to what extent we will successfully commercialize and realize revenues from the MxL9101.   Forward-looking statements are based on management’s current, preliminary expectations and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including (among others) integration risks arising from our recent acquisition of Entropic Communications, Inc.; intense competition in our industry; the ability of our customers to cancel or reduce orders; uncertainties concerning how end user markets for our products will develop; our lack of long-term supply contracts and dependence on limited sources of supply; potential decreases in average selling prices for our products; currently pending intellectual property litigation; and the potential for additional intellectual property litigation, which is prevalent in our industry. In addition to these risks and uncertainties, investors should review the risks and uncertainties contained in MaxLinear’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2015. All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. MaxLinear is providing this information as of the date of this release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.