Phison Deploys Redriver IC PS7101 PCI-SIG Certified PCIe 5.0

Phison Electronics Corp. is deploying a PCIe 5.0 Redriver IC PS7101 certified by the PCI-SIG Association (certified integrator list) to help solve the compatibility problems of high-speed signal transmission between CPU and peripheral devices (such as SSD and graphics card, etc.).

In the generation of PCIe 5.0 high-speed transmission, Redriver ICs will be required in devices such as desktop computers, servers, industrial computers, cables, and notebook computers. Depending on the degree of signal attenuation and the number of compensation channels, each system device will require 2 to 16 Redriver ICs. According to market research agencies, high-speed transmission signal enhancement ICs (including Redriver and Retimer ICs) will reach a market size of 50 million/year in 2025.

With the development of massive data, AI, and cloud computing, demand for high-speed data transmission continues to rise. The CPU is the core of high-speed signal transmission. Under CPU chip suppliers such as Intel and AMD, the transmission interface of the system has ushered the PCIe 5.0 generation, and the single-lane transmission speed reaching 32Gb/s, which is 2x that of the previous generation PCIe 4.0. However, in the high-speed transmission environment of PCIe 5.0, compatibility issues such as signal attenuation and noise effects on the motherboard have become common problems and challenges faced by all system integrators.

The firm is committed to the R&D of high-speed transmission interface technology and is one of the few IC companies with the capability to independently develop PCIe 5.0 PHY physical layer IP. The PCIe 5.0 Redriver IC PS7101 adopts ‘Flip-Chip’ packaging and testing technology to reduce signal reflection and crosstalk interference caused by IC packaging, simultaneously improves the heat dissipation capability of the IC, which will solve the problem of signal attenuation of high-speed transmission of the motherboard of the PC and the server platform or the riser card. It is an IC product with high gain, high linearity, and cost-effectiveness. 

“Phison is thrilled with the industry’s rapid adoption and deployment of the world’s first PCI-SIG certified PCIe 5.0 Redriver IC PS7101. Achieving the Association’s certification from the PCI-SIG Association is a significant industry endorsement and affirms Phison’s commitment to innovation,” said K.S. Pun, CEO. “In addition to PCIe 5.0 Redriver ICs, Phison is also actively developing a new generation of PCIe 5.0 Retimer ICs (sampling is expected to begin in the first half of 2023) for use in different system environments. Phison strives to strengthen its IC design capabilities that will create the market’s most reliable and complete high-speed storage and high-speed transmission solutions, and scale with global customers.”

The PCIe 5.0 Redriver IC PS7101 provides multi-band independent compensation, allowing system R&D engineers to independently adjust parameters for different cable or PCB materials to achieve the best compensation for signal attenuation. In addition, The firm provides the patented Auto Tuning Tool, which can be used with SSD products designed by the company. This automatically brings in different Redriver gain parameters in the customer’s development environment and finds the corresponding optimal parameters, accelerating system integrators’ products to market quickly.

Notably, the company is one of the few suppliers delivering high-speed transmission ICs and also serves as a partner to provide customers with signal system analysis, simulation and compatibility issues. The firm’s goal is to equip customers with support solutions that solve technical problems encountered by customers in the development of high-speed interface platforms, to cooperate with the continuous development of new products from CPU chip manufacturers, and to enable the high-speed interface technology with increasing transmission speed to be used more widely on every platform.

The company’s PCIe 5.0 Redriver IC PS7101 is shipping samples, and has received system design recognition from many mainstream motherboard, server, industrial computer and cable developers.

Mass-produced products by end customers are expected to be launched in 3Q22.