Limiting amplifier for 155 Mbps to 3.2 Gbps optical links
The Maxim Integrated MAX3747EUB is a limiting amplifier designed as a data quantizer for optical receivers, covering the data-rate range from 155 Mbps up to 3.2 Gbps. It sits in the signal chain after the photodiode and transimpedance amplifier, converting the variable-amplitude input into a clean, amplitude-limited output for clock-and-data recovery. Typical applications include SONET/SDH, Fibre Channel, and Gigabit Ethernet optical modules where the received signal amplitude varies with link length and attenuation.
Package and footprint for tight optical module layouts
Housed in a 10-lead TFSOP/MSOP package with a 3.00 mm body width, the MAX3747EUB fits the tight PCB real estate inside SFP, SFP+, and XFP optical transceivers. Surface-mount assembly keeps the signal path short — critical at multi-gigabit data rates where every millimeter of trace adds loss and jitter. The small footprint also helps minimize parasitic inductance on the power and ground connections.