SiTime’s integrated clock chip for AI datacentres

This new MEMS-based clock-system-on-a-chip (ClkSoC) family offers 10x higher performance in half the size, compared to standalone oscillators and clocks. Chorus’ new approach includes clock, oscillator, and resonator technologies in an integrated chip, simplifying system clock architecture and accelerating design time by up to six weeks. Chorus, combined with recently acquired timing products from Aura Semiconductor, builds on SiTime’s strategy to offer a complete portfolio of highly differentiated solutions.

According to a recent Bloomberg Intelligence report,* “the AI datacentres hardware market is surging by an estimated 33% annually and projected to reach approximately $200 billion by 2027.” Rapid upgrade cycles for AI hardware will be essential to running data and compute-intensive AI workloads.

“AI is driving tremendous needs for higher data throughput in datacentres and lower power consumption, and SiTime is uniquely positioned to help address these issues,” said Piyush Sevalia, Executive Vice President of Marketing at SiTime. “Before Chorus, hardware designers had to use discrete product types, such as clocks, oscillators, and resonators, which resulted in performance compromises. Chorus delivers integrated clock generators to solve these problems and is yet another example of how we are transforming the timing market with our unique approach.”

Chorus, with its integrated MEMS resonator, addresses the limitations of legacy clock generators, eliminating problems such as noise and matching the resonator's impedance with the clock. Also, Chorus can reduce the board area for timing by up to 50% by replacing up to four standalone oscillators. Datacentre equipment such as servers, switches, acceleration cards, and smart network interface cards (NICs) are ideal applications for Chorus.

“SiTime continues to solve the electronics industry’s toughest timing challenges with advances in silicon MEMS timing technology,” said Dave Altavilla, Co-Founder, President and Principal Analyst at HotTech Vision and Analysis. “SiTime's new MEMS-based family of clock generators represents a significant leap forward, offering enhanced performance, reliability, and integration essential for the evolving needs of big iron AI datacentres.”

*Bloomberg Intelligence Report, June 2023, ‘Generative AI to Become a $1.3 Trillion Market by 2032.’

Key features of SiTime’s Chorus SiT91211 and SiT91213 Clock Generator

• Higher performance: delivers up to 10x better resilience with integrated MEMS resonator.
• Design simplicity: integrated MEMS technology speeds the design process and eliminates common issues such as noise and impedance matching with integrated MEMS resonator.
• Smaller footprint: up to half the size in a 4 x 4mm QFN.
• Low RMS phase jitter: 70 femtoseconds typical (12kHz to 20MHz).
• Flexible frequency: programmable frequency from 1MHz to 700MHz.
• Flexible output types: up to four differential (LVPECL, LVDS, LPHCSL) or eight LVCMOS outputs.
• Flexible supply voltage: programmable, 1.8V, 2.5V, or 3.3V.
• Reduced power and simplified circuitry: FlexSwing output reduces power consumption and eliminates termination resistors.
• Excellent frequency stability: ±20ppm and ±50ppm from –40°C to 105°C.
• EMI reduction: configurable spread-spectrum clock generation.
• Compliant with the latest PCIe standard: generation one to six.
• Enhanced system robustness: clock fault monitors (lock loss).

Availability

SiTime’s Chorus family of clock generators is sampling to strategic customers now, with general sampling availability in 2H 2024.