Novel broad-band bit-synchronization circuit module for optical interconnections

A novel broad-band and ultrafast bit-synchronization circuit module is proposed and fabricated for optical interconnections. In optical packet switch fabric or optical interconnection between electric circuit boards, instantaneous bit synchronization is crucial to properly retime incoming packets with a random phase and reduce the number of preamble overhead bits. The developed bit-synchronization circuit module has a new clock selection circuit, which is configured with a phase comparator and an amplitude comparator. Since device-dependent delay circuits, such as buffer amplifiers or RC phasors, are not adopted, the newly developed clock selection circuit can operate under broad-band frequencies. The bit-synchronization circuit module was fabricated with a Si-bipolar gate array and it can operate at broad-band bit rates of up to 10.5 Gb/s. It also exhibits a power sensitivity penalty as low as 3 dB for 10-Gb/s input signals. The synchronization acquisition time of less than 9 b over the entire 360° phase range was confirmed by experiment.