A 212Gb/s PAM-4 Retimer with Integrated High-Swing Optical Driver and Chip-to-Module Long Reach Capability of 40dB in 5nm FinFET

An increasing need for higher throughput driven by artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) applications, makes faster l/O interfaces with lower power consumption essential. Top-of-rack switches in hyperscalers now require data rates of 200Gb/s per lambda while adhering to the power budget dictated by multi-source agreements (MSA) such as OSFP-XD. Eliminating extra components like an external laser driver is crucial as it not only reduces power consumption but also minimizes development cost and form factor. Additionally, a key challenge is the chip-to-module (C2M) interface, which is expected to drive long electrical interconnects in GPU-based racks. To address these challenges, this work presents a 4-lane 212.5Gb/s/lane retimer for optical direct detect applications with an integrated high-swing laser driver on the line transmitter (TX) and the ability to equalize 40dB channel loss on the C2M interface.