Alliance Semiconductor has expanded its analogue and mixed signal product portfolio with its newest families of high-performance zero-delay buffers and non-zero-delay buffers.
Alliance Semiconductor Corp has expanded its analogue and mixed signal product portfolio with the availability of its newest families of high-performance zero-delay buffers (ZDBs) and non-zero-delay (NZDB) buffers. The ASM5000 family of PLL-based ZDBs and the ASM2000 family of non-PLL-based NZDBs are designed to address the precise, high accuracy and high-performance (greater than 250MHz) clocking needs of various datacommunications, networking, telecommunications, industrial and many consumer systems. Fast edge rates (less than 1ns), low propagation delays (50-500ps) high accuracy (duty cycle stability and jitter) along with very high frequency support (greater than 250MHz), characterise both families of these precision buffers.

The devices are designed to support one or two 50ohm transmission lines.

This expansion includes many of the standard high performance (250MHz+) buffers currently in volume demand.

Alliance Semiconductor expects to continue the product expansion as the line continues its evolution into high performance, very low voltage, high accuracy applications.

These precision non-PLL-based products support either 2.5 or 3.3V power supplies and provide support from DC to well in excess of specification of 250MHz, with up to 18 outputs for precise fanout and distribution of the clock signal with very low prop delay and output skews.

Many of these products (ZDBs and NZDBs) support a ’split-rail’ design that provides for either 3.3 or 2.5V LVCMOS outputs for conversion/translation of either a LVCMOS or LVPECL input to LVCMOS, and thus allows for use across multiple platforms.

Single and multiple output bank configurations are supported as well.

This high-performance family of low voltage zero-delay buffers provides support for frequencies from DC to beyond specification (greater than 250MHz compared with the 200MHz spec) with fanouts of 12 and 14, and very low propagation delays (Tpd and Tskew) for precise resynchronisation (zero delay) and accuracy.

These features coupled with fast edge rates and low jitter, enable designers to maximise their timing budgets with minimal error budget contribution.

Packaged in 32- and 52-pin LQFP and TQFP packages, Alliance offers both commercial and industrial temperature grades, with standard tin-lead/Pb-free RoHS and/or green compliant products.

According to Mark Sherwood, Director of Marketing for the Alliance Mixed Signal Business Unit: ‘This is a significant introduction and roll out for Alliance Semiconductor’.

‘The combination of these low voltage high performance ZDB’s and LVNZDBs will add significantly to the current offering from Alliance mixed signal and provides entry into the high-end LVCMOS clock market’.

‘This release allows Alliance Semiconductor to support all key aspects of the clock tree - ie clock synthesis, frequency generation, clock signal distribution and resynchronisation’.

‘With this new addition, Alliance Semiconductor’s Mixed Signal Group is now well positioned in clock and timing with a very wide, in-depth and comprehensive portfolio into the high accuracy and performance applications segments’.

Target applications include routers, switches, hubs, basestations and redundant array of independent disks (RAID) storage arrays, as well as specific applications in industrial and some consumer applications.

Samples are available today with initial pricing set at $3.00-$3.50 in 1000-unit quantities.