IDT Announces World’s Lowest Jitter MEMS Oscillators with Integrated Frequency Margining Capability

The extremely low phase jitter and adaptable output frequency of IDT’s high-performance oscillators significantly reduce bit error rate (BER) in 10 gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) switches, routers, and other related networking equipment.

The IDT 4H performance MEMS oscillators feature a differential LVDS / LVPECL output and the lowest phase jitter in their product class (100 fs @ 1.875 - 20 MHz and sub-300 fs @ 12kHz - 20 MHz), satisfying the low-jitter chipset requirements of high-performance networking applications. Integrated frequency margining capability enables customers to fine-tune the oscillator frequency during operation in the application by up to ±1000 ppm, minimizing BER and facilitating margin testing. IDT’s 4H MEMS oscillators are available in multiple package sizes including the smaller 3225 (3.2 x 2.5 mm) to save board space and cost in densely populated applications. IDT is the only supplier to offer this combination of MEMS oscillator performance, features, and small package size.

“IDT’s latest series of MEMS oscillators build upon the standard 4M and enhanced 4E oscillator series’ to address the demanding performance requirements of 10GbE and networking applications,” said Christian Kermarrec, vice president and general manager of the Timing and Synchronization Division at IDT. “As the leader in timing solutions, we equip our customers with the highest performance parts and innovative features to facilitate the development of their next-generation products. We are pleased to see many OEMs choosing IDT over MEMS start-up suppliers for the experience and technical innovation that IDT provides.”

“Cloud computing and storage infrastructure is growing rapidly with almost 50% of servers and storage clusters shipping with 10GbE. High performance MEMS oscillators enable a lower bit error rate in enterprise computing and storage infrastructure and offer much better reliability at the same time,” said Jérémie Bouchaud, director and principal analyst for MEMS and sensors at IHS.

IDT’s integrated frequency margining capability enables customers to employ a technique known in the industry as ‘plus-PPM clocking’. This technique clocks systems at a slightly higher frequency, allowing OEMs to reduce BER and resulting packet losses in networking applications. Unlike competitive MEMS devices that only offer fixed frequencies, IDT’s device allows hundreds of offset frequencies that can be generated after the selection of any base frequency up to 625 MHz – even on final production systems. This empowers designers to expedite the development process and optimize system performance.

The 4H MEMS oscillators leverage IDT’s patented piezoelectric MEMS (pMEMS™) resonator technology to provide a high-frequency source of unparalleled performance and reliability. IDT MEMS oscillators offer 40 times better reliability than quartz with no activity dips, no zero-time failures, higher jitter resistance to EMI, and excellent shock and vibration resistance, making them an ideal upgrade solution for traditional quartz-based oscillators.

The IDT 4H family expands upon the successful 4M and 4E series of MEMS oscillators. The 4M standard oscillators offer significant value as a drop-in replacement for differential quartz oscillators with less than 1 picosecond (ps) of phase jitter. The 4E enhanced oscillators integrate an LVDS or LVPECL output with a synchronous CMOS output into a single package, eliminating the need for an external crystal or secondary oscillator. In addition, the 4E oscillators feature four selectable output frequencies, allowing for the replacement of four components with a single device to reduce the bill-of-materials and consolidate inventory.