TowerJazz Announces H5: a Leading 300GHz SiGe Technology Optimized for 400GbE Communications

TowerJazz, the global specialty foundry leader, today announced availability of H5; a leading 300GHz SiGe process optimized for 400Gbps optical communications (or 400GbE) which promise to quadruple the capacity of even the fastest links deployed today at 100Gbps, carrying the world’s internet data traffic through networks and in data centers. Wireline data traffic is increasing dramatically, and TowerJazz addresses this growing market through a family of customized advanced foundry silicon-germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS technologies, including its highest performance process to date, H5. In this process, enhancements include increased device Ft and Gm as well as other “proprietary features” to address the 400GbE product space.

Customers can quickly migrate existing products to H5 as layouts are virtually identical to prior generations of technology.  H5 can help reduce power consumption in lower data-rate products or boost data rates to address newer standards. TowerJazz works closely with its customers and tailors its roadmaps to meet their next-generation needs. As such, TowerJazz has worked with leaders in the market to optimize technology for the 400GbE era and already has key design wins in this space, such as Broadcom, a leading designer, developer and global supplier of a broad range of digital and analog semiconductor connectivity solutions.

“TowerJazz’s SiGe technology has enabled us to successfully deliver high performing optical ICs across multiple market segments and applications, including 400GbE data center interconnects,” said Dr. Faouzi Chaahoub, Senior Director of Fiber Optic Products Division at Broadcom Limited.

“We strongly value our collaboration with Broadcom in this market and continue to invest aggressively in high-speed SiGe to support all of our customers’ next-generation requirements,” said Dr. Marco Racanelli, Sr. Vice President and General Manager of RF & High Performance Analog Business Unit, TowerJazz. “SiGe has become the technology of choice for front-end components in high-speed data communications, a market that continues to promise new and exciting opportunities for TowerJazz and our customers.”

SiGe Terabit Platform – HX, H2, H3, H4, H5

The TowerJazz SiGe Terabit Platform includes advanced CMOS, together with low-noise, high-speed, and high power SiGe devices and unique patented features that enable best-in-class performance for the most demanding ICs in high-speed communication links.  These components include, for example, trans-impedance amplifiers (TIAs) on the receive path and laser drivers on the transmit path. The addition of H5 to the SiGe Terabit Platform extends a rich history of process technologies that include HX and H2 (addressing 10 to 28Gbps requirements), H3 with SiGe speeds of 280GHz (addressing requirements up to 100Gbps), and now H4 and H5 with transistor speeds that exceed 300GHz and can reduce power consumption by nearly an order of magnitude.