Multigig Inc. introduced the company's new RotaryWave™ on-chip clock technology, which it claims to be a major advance in semiconductor clock design. The RotaryWave clock enables semiconductors to achieve their maximum performance by delivering extremely precise, high-resolution, low-noise timing signals with far less power than is associated with standard clock designs (typical power savings of 75% have been measured when compared to existing solutions).
RotaryWave is a fundamental technology that works on all existing manufacturing processes - zero manufacturing changes are required to implement RotaryWave clocks into a design. RotaryWave clocks also scale well with advanced processes. Furthermore, this technology has excellent signal integrity with very robust tolerance to substrate, power supply and radiated noise.
Utilizing a unique transmission line structure with 'Mobius termination' as both a clock generation and clock distribution system, RotaryWave technology is ideally suited for products as diverse as RF/analog, mixed signal and high-speed digital. Under development in 'stealth mode' since 1999, the RotaryWave clock can be readily utilized in most high-performance semiconductor projects using standard design tools and process technologies. The company's primary business will be selling new ADCs and silicon timing devices that utilize the RotaryWave clock.
RotaryWave technology is already being designed into or evaluated by Tier-1 manufacturers, in products ranging from RF to mixed-signal to digital. RotaryWave clocks are ideal for markets such as mobile telecommunications, imaging and military applications where standard clock technology has proven inadequate or too power-hungry.
"The importance of low-power clocks cannot be overstated," said Will Strauss, Principal Analyst at Forward Concepts (Tempe, AZ). "To enable the next-generation of high-performance DSP and other architectures, it is critical to lower the power burden imposed by existing clock designs. The RotaryWave is an example of what creative thinking can do to address the issue and enable true low-power, high-performance chips using existing design methodologies and process technologies."
"The development of the RotaryWave clock represents a true rarity in electronics – a fundamentally new technique that brings exceptional benefits yet is readily implemented using today's manufacturing technology," said Haris Basit, Managing Director of Multigig. "All of the products currently under development using this technology are expected to break new ground in terms of performance, functionality and low power dissipation."
