Broadcom launches 200G/lane DSP PHY for AI clusters

Broadcom Inc. announced the availability of the Sian2 200 Gbits/s per lane (200G/lane) PAM-4 DSP PHY. The Sian2 features 200G/lane electrical and optical interfaces, joining the Sian DSP that supports 100-Gbits/s electrical and 200-Gbits/s optical interfaces. Sian and Sian2 DSPs enable pluggable modules with 200G/lane interfaces that are needed for next-generation AI clusters to support growing AI model sizes.

(Source: Broadcom Inc.)

Broadcom said the scale-up and scale-out of next-generation AI clusters will require highly reliable optical network connectivity with higher bandwidth, lower power, lower latency and lower cost. These requirements are driving the migration from 400G/800G links with 100G/lane optics currently used in AI clusters to 800G/1.6T links with 200G/lane optics. Both the Sian2 and Sian DSPs are optimized for 800G and 1.6T optical module platforms.

For AI data centers, the combination of the Sian2 and Sian DSP PHYs and Broadcom’s 200G/lane optics, including electro-absorption modulated laser (EML) and continuous wave laser (CWL), provides the high performance and power consumption needed to scale AI workloads, the company added.

In addition to support for 800G and 1.6T pluggable modules, the Sian2 supports both 212.5-Gbits/s and 226.875-Gbits/s data rates for InfiniBand and Ethernet. It also features support for multiple FEC options including bypass, segmented and concatenated FEC; built-in low-swing and high-swing laser driver for both SiP and EML-based optical modules; sub-80-ns roundtrip latency for AI/ML applications; and crossbar support.

Broadcom is demonstrating the Sian2 PHY 200G/lane optics inside an 1.6T DR8 optical module in the Innolight Booth B81 and Eoptolink Booth D60 at ECOC Exhibition 2024, Frankfurt, Germany, September 23-25. Demos include a live transmit eye performance and end-to-end pre-FEC and post-FEC performance with IEEE compliant KP4 FEC.

 Broadcom is currently sampling the Sian2 BCM8582X device to its early access customers and partners.