May 9, 2012 – Intersil, a global leader in the design and production of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors, announced today the launch of an active cable solution that supports Thunderbolt cables.

Since data transfer rates in cables are 10 Gbps or higher, thin cables cause signal interference due to their physical characteristics. To eliminate this signal interference, complex high-speed transceiver ICs and connectors are required at both ends of the cable. The Thunderbolt 'Active Cable' is the first example demonstrating the trend of high-speed interconnection becoming generally commonplace in the future.

Intersil’s newly introduced active cable solutions include the 40nm active cable IC 'ISL37231' and the power management IC 'ISL80083'. 40nm process technology and enhanced power management capabilities integrate key components such as microcontrollers, input rail selectors, level shifters, and eye monitors. Both products consume less than 450mW of power and do not require the expensive heat sinks needed by alternative solutions. They also enable compact connector housings at both ends of Thunderbolt cables and reduce standby power consumption by up to 50%.

Through patent-pending cable compensation technology, cable manufacturers can utilize high-volume cables that provide enhanced yield at an affordable price. Additionally, the built-in test function eliminates expensive and time-consuming manual testing by integrating an embedded processor, PRBS generator, and error detector.

Intersil's solution provides two bidirectional channels with a total transmission rate of 20Gbps. Users can easily connect a single thin cable and Thunderbolt-enabled products, and daisy-chain up to six devices.

Roger Levinson, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Signal Path Products Group at Intersil, stated, “Intersil has laid the groundwork for unprecedentedly low prices for Thunderbolt cables and will provide enhanced digital experiences by facilitating high-speed interconnection of peripherals. Intersil’s 40nm process technology reduces the cost of all variables that can occur in the cable manufacturing process and enables the widespread adoption of Thunderbolt technology.”

Simple, smart solution
The high-speed signal processing IC 'ISL37231' and the power management IC 'ISL80083' provide a fully integrated solution. The built-in microcontroller and input rail selector minimize the number of external components required for Thunderbolt cable production, which ultimately reduces overall costs.

The ISL37231 ensures high performance while providing low power consumption in affordable cable types, including Shielded Twisted Pair (STP), Twinax, and Microcoax. The ISL37231 features media optimized for an adaptive equalizer, as well as de-emphasis and signal retiming capabilities. Furthermore, the product enhances link robustness at an affordable price, guaranteeing reliability that cannot be expected from simple retiming solutions.

The ISL80083, an integrated compact power management IC, helps the ISL37231 transceiver on Thunderbolt cables operate efficiently. The ISL80083 integrates a high-performance 2.5 MHz synchronous buck regulator, a low-power linear regulator, a level shifter, and an input rail selector. It also ensures a lower solution cost.

Price and sales information
Both products are currently undergoing client sampling, and pricing can be inquired about via Intersil. More detailed information about the products is available through the link below.
www.intersil.com/content/intersil/en/products/interface/signal-integrity-products/thunderbolt.html