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    Details
    Author(s)
    Display Name
    Xiaofei Wang
    Affiliation
    Affiliation
    Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Display Name
    Jing Jin
    Affiliation
    Affiliation
    Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Display Name
    Xiaoming Liu
    Affiliation
    Affiliation
    Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Display Name
    Zhaolin Yang
    Affiliation
    Affiliation
    Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Display Name
    Shan Wang
    Affiliation
    Affiliation
    Montage Technology Co., Ltd.
    Display Name
    Jianjun Zhou
    Affiliation
    Affiliation
    Shanghai Jiao Tong University
    Abstract

    This paper presents an energy-efficient single-ended (SE) transmitter (TX) for memory interfaces, supporting non-return-to-zero (NRZ) and four-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4) dual modes. The dual-mode TX fully reuses the output driver, allowing high-performance impedance matching at the “0”/“00” and “1”/“11” levels of the NRZ/PAM-4 mode, and enabling low-power relaxed impedance matching at the “01” and “10” levels of the PAM-4 mode. The pre-emphasis equalization is proposed with high energy efficiency to enlarge the eye-opening using impedance modulation and a half-rate charge pump (HRCP) for the ground-terminated dual-mode TX. The five-step three-point ZQ calibration with offset cancellation is performed to enhance the level separation mismatch ratio (RLM). Implemented in a 22-nm CMOS process, the TX achieves the data rate of 16 Gb/s/pin NRZ drawing 8.07 mW over a 12.9-dB loss channel and of 32 Gb/s/pin PAM-4 drawing 6.87 mW over a 4.6-dB loss channel with 99.0% RLM.