National Semiconductor Extends High-end Router Backplane Life With Introduction of Industry's First Quad SerDes with 40 Gbps Throughput

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- National Semiconductor Corporation today announced one of the industry's fastest quad serializer/deserializer (SerDes) transceivers, which extends the life of today's high-end router backplanes by quadrupling the data throughput capacity. This new single-chip device, the SCAN50C400, allows communication system designers to easily upgrade existing switch/fabric cards and line cards to 5 Gigabits per second (Gbps) serial data rate performance without a costly replacement of existing backplanes. With the announcement of the SCAN50C400, National Semiconductor is enhancing its leadership in the SerDes market and now offers a complete portfolio of backplane solutions, ranging from Gigabit LVDS SerDes for broadband infrastructure to multi-Gigabit solutions for core and metro routers.

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"Service providers and OEMs tell us they want to increase capacity and optimize CAPEX expenditures by upgrading existing equipment rather than investing in new platforms," said Stephen Kempainen, marketing director of the Communication Infrastructure Products group at National Semiconductor. "National Semiconductor's new product makes this possible. The SCAN50C400's combination of 0.1 UI (unit interval) transmitter jitter performance and 0.65 UI receiver jitter tolerance enables our customers to upgrade their systems and achieve 5 Gbps serial data rate by just upgrading fabric and line cards."

About the SCAN50C400

Targeting the high-speed backplane interconnect between line cards and fabric cards in applications like networking, storage and computing, National Semiconductor's four-channel 5 Gbps SCAN50C400 transceiver works effectively on existing FR-4 backplanes originally designed for lower speeds of 1.25 and 2.5 Gbps. The device's CML (current mode logic) serial I/O supports multiple data rates at 1.25, 2.5 or 5 Gbps over a printed circuit board backplane. In total, the device provides a data link of up to 40 Gbps total throughput.

National's SCAN50C400 features a high-speed serial I/O that delivers unmatched signal integrity and jitter performance, as well as built-in self-test (BIST) circuitry and loopback modes to support at-speed testing. The device also has an IEEE P802.3ae D4.0 standard-compliant MDIO management bus to control the programmable features such as BIST, loopback modes and de-emphasis. In addition, the IEEE1149.1 JTAG-compliant SCAN features give the chip manufacturing testability. The SCAN50C400 is offered in a thermally enhanced 440-pin BGA package.

National's Total Backplane Solution

National leads the networking industry in providing complete backplane solutions. In addition to the SCAN50C400, National is developing products such as fixed and adaptive multi-Gigabit equalizer solutions and cross-talk cancellers. The first in the family of equalizers is a 3.125 Gbps to 6.25 Gbps fixed equalizer designed to compensate transmission medium losses and reduce the medium-induced deterministic jitter. The equalizer will be available for sampling in the first quarter of 2004.

Pricing and Availability

Samples of the SCAN50C400 and the device's evaluation and demonstration board are available today. Volume production begins in Q1 2004 and the product will be priced below $100 per unit in large volumes. More information about the SCAN50C400 is available at http://lvds.national.com/. To view a high-resolution downloadable photo of the SCAN50C400, visit National's photo gallery at http://www.national.com/company/pressroom/gallery/network.html .

About National Semiconductor

National Semiconductor, the industry's premier analog company, creates high performance analog devices and subsystems. National's leading-edge products include power management circuits, display drivers, audio and operational amplifiers, imaging sensors and data conversion solutions. National's key markets include wireless handsets, displays, PCs, networks and a broad range of portable applications. With headquarters in Santa Clara, California, National reported sales of $1.67 billion for fiscal 2003, which ended May 25, 2003. Additional company and product information is available at http://www.national.com/.

NOTE: National Semiconductor is a registered trademark of National Semiconductor Corporation. All other brands or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

CONTACT: media, Megan Carter of National Semiconductor, +1-408-721-6929,
or megan.carter@nsc.com

Web site: http://www.national.com/