10 Gb/s silicon bipolar 8:1 multiplexer and 1:8 demultiplexer

High-speed multiplexer and demultiplexer circuits are key components in high-speed optical communication systems such as SONET. As optical communication link speeds increase, faster electronic interface circuitry is required. The use of multiplexer circuits allows most of the electronic circuitry to operate on parallel data at a lower speed, reducing the speed requirements of much of the system. A retimed 8:1 multiplexer and a 1:8 demultiplexer which operate at 10 Gb/s are described. These circuits were fabricated in high-speed silicon bipolar process. Design optimization techniques were used to achieve maximum performance. The retimed multiplexer and the demultiplexer dissipate 3.8 and 4.3 W, respectively.< >