The technology, QuantumStream, has been developed by Aquantia through a strategic collaboration with GLOBALFOUNDRIES, and is the first 100Gbit/s all-electrical technology capable of delivering low latency to networking applications.
The technology is able to deliver vastly improved data rate performance over a single lane of copper previously believed to be possible only by using optical techniques.The availability of this technology should enable system vendors and data centre operators to push towards higher performance and newer topologies in hyperscale architectures while keeping the reliability, low-cost and ease-of-use associated with electrical-based interconnects.
The technology is being aimed at inter and intra rack connectivity up to a few meters complementing longer reach optical connectivity solutions used in hyperscale data centers.
“To date, industry watchers have projected that only optical connectivity will serve the needs of 100Gbit/s and beyond. This presents a huge barrier since optical technologies are intrinsically higher cost,” said Faraj Aalaei, CEO of Aquantia. “Our expertise in complex high-speed copper transceivers, together with GLOBALFOUNDRIES’ 14nm technology will enable a continuous roadmap to the required 100G connectivity and provide our customers with the best combination to differentiate and stay ahead of evolving marketplace demands.”
Under the agreement, GLOBALFOUNDRIES provided access to its 56Gbit/s IP core, enabling Aquantia’s team to then combine it with its patented Mixed-Mode Signal Processing (MMSP) and Multi-Core Signal Processing (MCSP) architectural innovations of high-speed interconnect over copper, providing a 100G interconnect high-performance SerDes solution.
Under the agreement GLOBALFOUNDRIES gains access to the QuantumStream technology for incorporation into its customers’ ASICs, helping to expand the ecosystem of solutions capable of supporting this new interface.
Aquantia’s QuantumStream technology is also easily leveraged to deliver up to 400Gbit/s of bandwidth on conventional DAC cables, resolving one of the most significant challenges currently facing the networking and data center industries.
