Pericom Announces PCI Express(R) Gen2 Clock Buffer Family Supporting 5.0Gbps Serial Connectivity

Pericom Announces PCI Express(R) Gen2 Clock Buffer Family Supporting 5.0Gbps Serial Connectivity

June 25, 2007

New product family offers lowest jitter to enable
high-speed implementations

    SAN JOSE, Calif., June 25 /Xinhua-PRNewswire/ --
Pericom Semiconductor Corporation (Nasdaq: PSEM), a
worldwide preferred supplier of PCI Express (PCIe)
technology used for high-speed switching, timing, bridging
and signal integrity, announces production availability of
a new high-performance, zero-delay PCIe Gen2 clock buffer
family. This family provides reference clocks for serial
connectivity at 5.0 Gigabits-per-second (5.0Gbps) and meets
the reference clock requirements of Fully Buffered DIMM
(FBDIMM) memory modules for workstation and server
applications. 

    These new PCIe Gen2 clock buffers are designed to
support Intel(R) Xeon(R) Dual Core processor workstation
and server applications with as few as 4 or as many as 19
separate PCIe outputs provided by a single IC.
Additionally, stringent PCIe Gen2 (5.0Gbps) reference clock
jitter requirements are surpassed. This has been validated
by independent testing at a Tier 1 CPU chipset vendor
laboratory. Testing concluded that the PI6C20800S
outperformed competitive products in the critical 'additive
jitter' test, providing less than 1.0 picosecond of additive
rms jitter. This key benefit enables server platform
designers to meet their new Gen2 platform jitter budgets
with margin for production manufacturing. 

    "The server market is projected to grow to over 9
million units in 2010 according to IDC, Worldwide Server
Forecast (March 2007)," said Kay Annamalai, Pericom's
senior marketing director for Timing Products. 
"Pericom is at the forefront of meeting the growing
demand of platform designers for higher-performance
solutions by delivering fully qualified and available
product today.  The Gen2 (5.0Gbps) design cycles for server
and workstation platforms are already in progress in our
customer base. PCI Express Gen1 usage is well established
within the workstation and server community, with the Gen2
adoption rate ramping up as chipset providers roll out next
generation products."

    Combining these Gen2 clock buffers with a
server-motherboard clock-generator IC (such as Pericom's
PI6C410BS) and a high-stability crystal reference (such as
Pericom's SaRonix 49SLMB) results in a complete PCIe
timing-tree solution for Intel(R) Xeon(R) Dual Core server
applications. Pericom offers a complete line of timing
products to support SAS, SATA, 1.0Gbps and 10.0Gbps
Ethernet protocols typically used within server platforms.
These clock buffers also address other PCIe Gen2 networking
and telecom applications, as well as servers and
workstations.

    The PI6C20400S has 4 differential outputs, and the
PI6C20800S has 8 differential outputs, each with 1
spread-spectrum compatible phase locked loop (PLL). The
PI6C21900 (18+1) and PI6C21900S (17+2) each offer 19 total
differential outputs, utilizing 2 spread-spectrum
compatible PLLs, providing the designer with 2 separate
frequency domains for FBDIMM and PCIe applications.

    The PCIe Gen2 (5.0Gbps) clock buffer family joins the
existing PCIe Gen2 signal switch and clock oscillator
product offerings in Pericom's PCI Express solution
portfolio. This makes Pericom's PCI Express product
offering the broadest in the industry, with Gen1 (2.5Gbps)
PCIe packet switches, signal switches, signal conditioners,
bridges, physical layer, clock oscillators, and clock
buffers.

    Key Features of Pericom's Gen2 Clock Buffer Products 

    -- PCI Express Gen2 differential output, zero delay
clock buffer family 
       for providing reference clocks for 5.0Gbps serial
connectivity
    -- Meets reference clock requirements of FBDIMM memory
modules in servers 
       and workstations
    -- Approved for Dual Core Xeon(R) CPU server
motherboard designs
    -- Less than 1 picosecond additive rms jitter
    -- Cost effective, small footprint, Pb-free-and-Green
packaging
    -- High ESD tolerance
    -- Wide range of from 4 to 19 total spread spectrum
compatible 
       differential outputs

    Pricing & Availability 

    The entire Gen2 5Gbs clock buffer family is available
now in production quantities.  Pricing in 5Ku quantities: 

    -- PI6C20400S - $1.35 each 
    -- PI6C20800S - $1.50 each
    -- PI6C21900 and PI6C21900S each - $4.50. 

    Samples, evaluation boards, datasheets, application
notes, IBIS models, and additional information can be found
by visiting www.pericom.com, or by contacting any Pericom
sales office or authorized distribution partner worldwide.


    Press Graphic: 

     High-resolution graphic can be downloaded here: 
     http://www.pericom.com/img/press/high/156_high.jpg

    About Pericom 

    Pericom Semiconductor Corporation (Nasdaq: PSEM)
enables serial connectivity with the industry's most
complete solutions for the computing, communications and
consumer market segments. Our analog, digital, and
mixed-signal integrated circuits and our SaRonix and eCERA
frequency control products are essential in the timing,
switching, bridging, and conditioning of high-speed signals
required by today's ever-increasing speed and bandwidth
demanding applications. Company headquarters are in San
Jose, California, with design centers and technical sales
and support offices located globally. 
http://www.pericom.com .


    For more information, please contact:  

    Kay Annamalai
    Pericom Semiconductor Corp.
    Tel:   [phone] x218
    Email: [e-mail]

    PRESS
    Sacha Arts
    Bella Vista Communications
    Tel:   [phone]
    Email: [e-mail]