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IPtronics

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IPtronics A/S
IndustrySemiconductors
FoundedCopenhagen, Denmark(September 2003(2003-09))
HeadquartersCopenhagen, Denmark
ProductsLow-Power Single- & Multi-Channel Broadband Transimpedance Amplifiers (TIA) and VCSEL Drivers for Optical Data Communication Applications
ParentMellanox Technologies
SubsidiariesIPtronics Inc.,
Menlo Park, California.
Websitewww.iptronics

IPtronicswas afabless semiconductor companyheadquartered inCopenhagen,Denmark.Its products includeintegrated circuitsforparallel optical interconnectapplications intended for the computer, storage and communication industries.[1][2]IPtronics' design center is certified bySTMicroelectronics,which is also theirsemiconductor foundrypartner.[3]In June 2013, IPtronics was acquired byMellanox Technologies.[4][5]

History

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IPtronics was founded in 2003 and built up by former directors, managers and engineers from Giga A/S, which was acquired byIntel Corporationin 2000 for US$1.25 billion.[6][7]On June 4, 2013, it was announced that IPtronics was acquired byMellanox Technologiesat a total cash purchase price of approximately $47.5 million, subject to certain adjustments.[4]

Founders and staff

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Three former Giga employees, Niels Finseth, Steen Bak Christensen, and Eivind Johansen, co-founded IPtronics. Giga A/S specialized in products fortelecommunicationanddata communicationapplications, as for exampleOC-48andOC-192.Finseth was previously an engineering manager, responsible for all 10Gbit/sIC product development. Mr. Christensen was also previously an engineering manager, responsible for all 2.5 Gbit/s development. Johansen was a co-founder of Giga (1987) as well, serving as the technical director until the acquisition by Intel, followed by a CTO position at Intel's Optical Component Division (OCD) and being appointed Intel Fellow in 2001, a corporate VP position for his technical leadership inoptical communication.In May 2004, Henning Lysdal was recruited as COO, previously high-speedPHYdevelopment manager at Intel OCD.[8]Lysdal later became VP of engineering after hiring a dedicated director of operations. Two former colleagues from Giga/Intel, who were at that time CEOs in their respective Danish electronic companies, were recruited to IPtronics. Steen Gundersen came from a position as the CEO of Alight Technologies and Jesper Wolf Bek came from a position as the CEO of Kaleido Technology.

In the beginning, the founders worked together in the garage of Steen Bak Christensen in Roskilde. As the first employee was hired in February 2005, IPtronics moved into new premises outside Roskilde.[8] Giga had customer support.[9]

In 2006, Intel closed its Danish office, which resulted in even more new electronics start-ups inCopenhagen metropolitan areaas well as many employees joining already existing companies such as IPtronics.[10]However, several new additions to the staff from 2008 and beyond have a different background than from Giga or Intel, such as Navid Ostadian-Binai. During 2006, the company appointed Jørgen Bardenfleth as chairman of the board of directors. Bardenfleth is the country general manager ofMicrosoftDenmark.[11][12]In November 2011, IPtronics announced Martin Rofheart as chairman.[13][14]

Early products

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The company's first customer wasCERN,the European Organization for Nuclear Research. The IPtronics chips were produced withTriQuint Semiconductor'sGaAsfoundry process technology. These devices are being used as front-end electronics for Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC), a gaseous particle detectorcapable of sub-nanosecond time resolution on very large areas.[15]

In October 2005, IPtronics started developing optical interconnects in a collaboration with NEC Corporation.[16][17]

Expansion

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During the summer of 2008, IPtronics opened its North American office inSilicon Valley.[18]

In April 2010, IPtronics joined theInfiniBand Trade Association,[19][20]which promotedInfiniBandtechnology. IPtronics announced it would offer low power and high volume products.[21]IPtronics later also joined the associations,Optical Internetworking ForumandPeripheral Component Interconnect Special Interest Group.[22][23]

Semiconductor wafers, showing IPtronics designed ICs for parallel optical interconnects using a STMicroelectronics fabrication process
Semiconductor wafers, showing IPtronics designed ICs for parallel optical interconnects using a STMicroelectronics fabrication process

Technology

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This technology enables parallel optical interconnect systems that computer manufactures have begun to adopt in order to overcome the physical constraints from using copper-based connections over high speed interfaces andbackplanes.[24][25]Parallel opticsis introduced to be able to simultaneously transmit and receive data at highbandwidthsover multiple fibers, initially implemented in supercomputers and servers followed by an upcoming introduction into consumer electronics.[26]In June 2011, IPtronics announced it had reached a shipment milestone, passing 1 million ICs, and the company states the majority is shipped to Asia.[27]

Active optical cables

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Late 2007, IPtronics started shipping 4-channel and 12-channelchipsetscapable of operating at a minimum of 10 Gbit/s per channel, primarily targeting data center and supercomputer applications.[28]A chipset consists of a VCSEL driver and a Transimpedance amplifier (TIA). The company also states to have qualified solder bump versions of the same two chipsets to be used forflip chipmounting, the preferred assembly technology in high-volume production.[29]Early 2010, IPtronics announced 16 Gbit/s versions of their 4- and 12-channel VCSEL drivers and TIAs.[30][31]

The company announced in June 2010 it would address the market for "lower rates", especially driven byHDMIcables, at higher volumes, and a lower cost structure than active optical cables for InfiniBand.[32]At the 2010 China International Optoelectronic Exposition and European Conference and Exhibition on Optical Communication, the company presented a demonstration of their optical HDMI by transmitting signals from aBlu-rayDVD player to aLCD television,targeted for 2011.[33]In January 2011, IPtronics released a new 4-channel chipset for pluggable module applications, and the company claims to have reduced the power consumption compared to their first-generation 4-channel chipset.[34]

In March 2012, IPtronics announced 28 Gbit/s/channel parts.[35]

Thunderbolt (interface)

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IPtronics first announced it would developThunderbolttechnology (original code-name Light Peak) in 2009.[36][37][38][39]Thunderbolt was brought to market byApplein February 2011,[40][41]and Light Peak is Intel's code-name for the new high-speed cable technology designed to connect consumerelectronic devicesto each other using copper or optical interconnect.[42]IPtronics is a supplier of driver and receiverICsthat go into the optical module, performing the conversion from electricity to light and vice versa, using miniaturelasersandphotodetectors.[39]The ICs from IPtronics are dual-channel, where each channel operates at a minimum of 10 Gbit/s.[39]

In October 2010, the company announced a new silicon revision.[43]They claim the same cost competitiveness, enabling optical module and -cable applications such as Thunderbolt implementation, though now also single channel optical links up to 14 Gbit/s. Besides Thunderbolt, the devices are claimed to be used fordata centerand other kinds of cables.

References

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  1. ^"IPtronics: Private Company Information".BusinessWeek.Archived fromthe originalon September 10, 2012.
  2. ^"IPtronics Enables 40GE, 100GE and Beyond…".FiberSystems.org. December 16, 2008.RetrievedMarch 20,2009.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^"IPtronics: About Us: Partners".IPtronics. Archived fromthe originalon October 10, 2009.RetrievedMarch 20,2009.
  4. ^ab"Mellanox Technologies Ltd. Announces Definitive Agreement to Acquire IPtronics A/S".Press release.RetrievedJune 4,2013.
  5. ^"IPtronics acquired by Mellanox Technologies".navidob. Archived fromthe originalon March 3, 2016.RetrievedAugust 22,2013.
  6. ^"News".eetimes.eu.
  7. ^"Intel to buy Giga for $1.25 billion".CNET. March 15, 2000.RetrievedMarch 20,2009.
  8. ^ab"IPtronics, supplier of silicon for parallel optical interconnects, raises $10.25m in series B funding round".Optical Key Hole. February 19, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-09-09.RetrievedJuly 21,2010.
  9. ^"Giga-venner satser på at lave ny Giga".Business.dk. February 19, 2008.RetrievedJuly 22,2010.
  10. ^"䥮 ôn tiên kim cự gõ ⁇䥇䄠 phủ sách 敮猠䕲 thùng gõ".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-19.Retrieved2009-05-13.
  11. ^"Jørgen Bardenfleth - Adm. Direktør, Microsoft Denmark"(PDF).Globalisering.dk. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on July 19, 2011.RetrievedNov 25,2010.
  12. ^"IPtronics, developing optical interconnect products, closes $2m in second round funding".Optical KeyHole. October 13, 2006.RetrievedNov 25,2010.
  13. ^"High Speed Analog, Optical and Wireless Semiconductor Executive Brings Global Market Expansion Expertise to IPtronics Board of Directors".PR Newswire.RetrievedNov 29,2011.
  14. ^"IPtronics Appoints Dr. Martin Rofheart Chairman of the Board".IPtronics.RetrievedNovember 29,2011.
  15. ^"TriQuint Powered Integrated Circuits Used in" Big Bang "Experiment at CERN Facility".Reuters.October 7, 2008. Archived fromthe originalon September 10, 2012.
  16. ^"IPtronics, developing optical interconnect products, closes $2m in second round funding".Optical KeyHole. October 13, 2006.
  17. ^"IPtronics cooperate with NEC on tiny optical module - IPtronics enables low power modules".IPtronics. October 3, 2005. Archived fromthe originalon July 13, 2011.RetrievedNovember 23,2010.
  18. ^"IPT Inc".iptronics.Archived fromthe originalon 15 October 2009.Retrieved17 January2022.
  19. ^"InfiniBand Trade Association: Member roster".Archived fromthe originalon April 14, 2010.RetrievedMay 4,2010.
  20. ^"InfiniBand Trade Association (IBTA) Announces Release of New Publication: Introduction to InfiniBand for End Users".PRWeb.April 27, 2010. Archived fromthe originalon June 6, 2011.RetrievedMay 4,2010.
  21. ^"IPtronics Offers low cost Silicon for Parallel Optics - IPtronics adds solutions for the growing Low Cost and HDMI market in Asia".IPtronics. June 2010. Archived fromthe originalon July 13, 2011.RetrievedNovember 22,2010.
  22. ^"Optical Internetworking Forum".Optical Internetworking Forum.RetrievedJuly 24,2012.
  23. ^"PCI-SIG Membership Roster".PCI-SIG.RetrievedJuly 24,2012.
  24. ^http://fibresystems.org/cws/article/newsfeed/32972[permanent dead link]
  25. ^Tests show that optical Infiniband cable performance exceeds copperError in Webarchive template: Invalid URL.
  26. ^Bek, Jesper (2008-06-09)."Parallel Optical Interconnects".IPtronics. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-03-05.Retrieved2010-04-09.
  27. ^Bek, Jesper (2011-06-16)."IPtronics Reaches Shipment Milestone - IPtronics passed the 1M units Shipped Mark in June 2011".IPtronics. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-10-07.Retrieved2011-06-21.
  28. ^"News".
  29. ^"IPtronics unveils high volume 'flip chip' solutions for 40-, 120-Gigabit/sec apps".Interconnection World. March 10, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon July 13, 2011.RetrievedApril 10,2009.
  30. ^"IPtronics offers silicon for 16-Gbps per channel parallel optics".LightWave.March 8, 2010.RetrievedMarch 9,2010.
  31. ^"IPtronics cements its lead in parallel optical interconnect applications".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-13.Retrieved2010-03-09.
  32. ^"IPtronics targets low-cost, HDMI with parallel optics drivers and TIAs".LightWave.June 14, 2010.RetrievedJune 24,2010.
  33. ^"IPtronics adds solutions for the growing Low Cost and HDMI market in Asia".IPtronics.June 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-13.Retrieved2010-10-04.
  34. ^"IPtronics Offers New 4ch silicon".IPtronics.January 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-13.Retrieved2011-02-16.
  35. ^"IPtronics at 25 Gbps with Select Partners".IPtronics.March 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 2012-05-28.Retrieved2012-03-21.
  36. ^"IPtronics Develops Components for Light Peak Technology".D&R. October 1, 2009.RetrievedOctober 1,2009.
  37. ^Clarke, Peter (October 1, 2009)."IPtronics, Avago chip in to Intel's optical interconnect".EETimes.Archived fromthe originalon January 19, 2012.RetrievedOctober 1,2009.
  38. ^Crothers, Brooke (September 29, 2009)."Sources: 'Light Peak' technology not Apple idea".CNET News.Archived fromthe originalon June 23, 2010.RetrievedOctober 1,2009.
  39. ^abc"IPtronics Develops Components for Light Peak Technology".IPtronics. October 1, 2009. Archived fromthe originalon July 13, 2011.RetrievedOctober 1,2009.
  40. ^"Apple Introducing Thunderbolt - The Fastest, most Versatile I/O ever in a Notebook".Apple Inc.February 24, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 25,2011.
  41. ^"Thunderbolt Technology - The Fastest Connection To Your PC Experience".Intel Corporation.February 24, 2011.RetrievedFebruary 25,2011.
  42. ^"Light Peak technology".Intel.September 23, 2009.RetrievedOctober 1,2009.
  43. ^"IPtronics Offers New Low Cost silicon".IPtronics. October 2010. Archived fromthe originalon July 13, 2011.RetrievedNovember 22,2010.
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