Microchip Introduces 1.2V Clock Buffer Enabling Interconnection of Latest SoCs and FPGAs with Higher-Voltage Devices

Microchip Introduces 1.2V Clock Buffer Enabling Interconnection of Latest SoCs and FPGAs with Higher-Voltage Devices

— This single-chip solution performs level translation across a wide operating voltage range, simplifying high-precision interconnection with the internal clock networks of the latest processors

As high-performance FPGAs, SoCs, AI accelerators and next-generation CPUs widely adopt advanced FinFET process nodes, market demand for low-voltage clock drivers continues to rise. Due to limited availability of standard 1.2V LVCMOS clock buffers and the lack of level-translation buffers capable of converting higher-voltage clock signals to the low-voltage levels required by advanced devices, printed circuit board designers face growing design challenges. Traditional approaches relying on discrete devices and voltage-divider techniques can compromise signal integrity and clock duty cycle accuracy while increasing board complexity and component count.

Microchip Technology Inc. introduces the SY757xx family of 1.2V output LVCMOS clock buffers, designed to address these design challenges. These devices eliminate the need for traditional discrete-device approaches, simplifying system design while delivering ultra-low additive jitter performance. To support legacy board power designs and clock sources at different voltage levels, the family supports a wide supply voltage (VDD) range and a wide operating frequency range. The SY757xx family enables ultra-low additive jitter clock distribution while maintaining the high clock accuracy and signal integrity required by today's high-speed FPGA, SoC and CPU platforms.

"As next-generation high-performance FPGA, SoC and CPU platforms evolve, clock distribution faces increasing challenges. Microchip's SY757xx clock buffers help customers address these challenges. This single-chip solution integrates ultra-low additive jitter performance, wide VDD support and wide operating frequency support, simplifying board design, reducing component count, and helping customers meet the signal integrity and timing accuracy requirements of today's high-performance computing applications," said Maamoun Abou Seido, Vice President of Microchip's Timing and Communications business unit.

In application platforms where signal integrity is critical, the Microchip SY757xx family further strengthens the role of clock buffers as the clock distribution and fanout interface for SoCs and FPGAs. These platforms require support for high-speed parallel processing, hardware reconfigurability, low latency and efficient real-time computing. These capabilities are widely used in embedded vision, video processing, AI/ML acceleration, industrial control and IoT, networking and communications, signal processing, and embedded systems.

The family includes 3 devices in production and 8 devices sampling in small quantities, offering multiple configuration options and available in 3 compact package types. The devices suppress clock signal distortion across the 0 Hz to 250 MHz frequency range, support a 1.2V to 3.3V voltage translation input range, and provide a wide range of power supply input and output options. The single-chip solution enables robust interconnection between 3.3V devices and FPGAs and SoCs requiring 1.2V clock signals, with additive jitter as low as 26 femtoseconds (fs).

Compared with traditional discrete-device approaches for FPGA and SoC applications, Microchip clock buffers simplify design and reduce bill-of-materials cost while helping optimize AC coupling and bias circuits and maintain signal integrity. Voltage-divider circuits based on discrete devices may not provide sufficient design margin and may also degrade signal integrity by causing duty cycle distortion.

Microchip clock buffers can be used with the company's full portfolio of flash-based FPGAs and SoC FPGAs (from very low density to mid-density). Microchip's microcontrollers, analog devices, power management, timing, connectivity and memory products are pre-designed and validated to help customers achieve simplified, low-risk and more integrated system designs.

The SY75707TWL-TR, SY75712TWL-TR and SY75714TWL-TR devices in the low-power LVCMOS clock buffer family are now in volume production. The SY75707TWL-TR supports differential input to two LVCMOS outputs in an 8-pin very thin dual flat no-lead (VDFN) package. The SY75712TWL-TR and SY75714TWL-TR devices support 2 and 4 LVCMOS outputs, respectively, with 1.2V to 1.8V rail voltages in 8-pin thin dual flat no-lead (TDFN) packages. Pricing ranges from $0.50 to $0.83 per unit in 10,000-unit quantities, depending on device configuration.

The remaining eight SY757xx family devices support multiple input types: single-ended 1.2V to 3.3V LVCMOS inputs, single-ended 1.2V to 1.8V LVCMOS inputs, and differential 1.8V to 3.3V inputs, with 1.2V to 1.8V LVCMOS level outputs; fanout buffer options with output enable (OE) functionality are also available. All sample devices are available in 8-pin VDFN packages.

For more information and to purchase, contact a Microchip sales representative, a worldwide authorized distributor, or visit Microchip's purchasing and customer service website at www.microchipdirect.com. For information about SY757xx samples, please email tcghelp@microchip.com.

About Microchip Technology Inc.

Microchip Technology Inc. is a provider of a rich portfolio of semiconductor products, dedicated to making innovative designs easier through complete system-level solutions and helping customers address the key challenges of applying emerging technologies to mature markets. The company offers easy-to-use development tools and a broad product portfolio to support customers throughout the design process, from concept to final implementation. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, USA, Microchip continues to deliver solutions to industrial, automotive, consumer, aerospace and defense, communications and computing markets through outstanding technical support. For more information, visit the company website at www.microchip.com.