MALD-37545 - Quad 22.5G/25.78G CDR VCSEL Driver | MACOM
MPN: MALD-37545 ✗ End of Life| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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MALD-37545 Overview
A clock and data recovery IC is a high-speed interface component that reconstructs a usable clock and recovers the digital data stream from a degraded incoming signal. Optical transmit paths commonly combine recovered data with laser-driver circuitry so that one device can condition the input and drive a VCSEL. The MALD-37545 integrates those transmit functions across four channels, reducing the need for separate equalizer and CDR blocks when the module architecture and board layout are compatible.
The primary verified feature set is its four-channel organization, 22.5 Gbps and 25.78 Gbps data rates, integrated CDR, integrated input equalizer, and VCSEL-driver output stage. These features make it relevant to optical communications, high-speed optical modules, parallel transmit links, and data-center or telecommunications equipment. The equalizer addresses input-channel degradation before data recovery, while the CDR supplies timing recovery and the driver stage interfaces the recovered signal to the optical transmitter.
Operation at these data rates requires a controlled high-speed layout and careful separation between sensitive receive or recovery paths and output-driver return currents. Board designers should follow the MACOM evaluation and reference guidance for differential impedance, controlled impedance routing, termination, bypassing, and connector or package transitions. Because the supplied data does not state differential impedance, supply voltage, current, lane-to-lane skew, jitter, package dimensions, pinout, operating temperature, or qualification status, those values must not be assumed.
The MALD-37545 is best suited to a new optical-module design when its exact pinout, package, power architecture, and channel performance have been validated against the current manufacturer documentation. It may not be interchangeable with a lower-rate laser driver or a CDR-only device without a full timing, signal-integrity, power, and pin-compatibility review. Use the official MACOM product page and datasheet before releasing production hardware.
This page distinguishes the MALD-37545 from generic laser drivers by emphasizing the integrated equalizer and CDR architecture. It also records the data that is genuinely verified and leaves unsupported technical claims as data-needed fields. Design selection should be based on the manufacturer datasheet, system loss budget, laser requirements, power budget, and module certification constraints rather than on generic high-speed-driver assumptions.
Drop-in alternatives for MALD-37545 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
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Request AlternativesMALD-37545 Specifications
| Product Type | Four-channel CDR/VCSEL driver with input equalizer |
| Number of Channels | 4 channels |
| Operating Data Rate | 22.5 Gbps or 25.78 Gbps per channel |
| CDR Function | Integrated clock and data recovery |
| Input Equalizer | Integrated |
| Driver Type | VCSEL driver |
| Optical Transmit Architecture | Complete one-chip transmit solution in optical modules |
MALD-37545 standard Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for MALD-37545 (standard package). Pin numbering, functions, and connection diagrams are defined in the manufacturer datasheet. Refer to it for the exact footprint and soldering guidelines.
No detailed pinout data available for MALD-37545.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
MALD-37545 is suitable for 6 applications: High-Speed Optical Transmit Modules, Parallel Four-Lane Optical Links, Telecommunications Optical Interfaces, Data-Center Optical Interconnects, Optical Module Receive-Side Integration, High-Speed Optical Instrumentation.
High-Speed Optical Transmit Modules
MALD-37545 fits an optical-module transmit path requiring four channels at the verified 22.5 Gbps or 25.78 Gbps operating rates. Its integrated input equalizer conditions each incoming channel before the integrated CDR reconstructs timing and data, while the VCSEL-driver stage provides the transmit-side interface. This consolidation can reduce the number of separate transmit blocks, but the actual benefit depends on the module architecture, power budget, channel losses, and pin-compatible board design. Validate differential impedance, connector transitions, laser parameters, and thermal behavior against the MACOM documentation before layout.
Recommended
Parallel Four-Lane Optical Links
The four-channel architecture of MALD-37545 is suited to parallel optical links where several transmit lanes must be recovered and driven in one device. At the verified 22.5 Gbps or 25.78 Gbps rates, channel skew and lane-to-lane timing become central design constraints. The integrated equalizer and CDR help establish a consistent receive condition before each signal reaches the VCSEL driver, but the supplied data does not specify skew, jitter, or channel isolation values. Those parameters must be checked in the manufacturer datasheet and measured through the complete optical and PCB channel before production use.
Recommended
Telecommunications Optical Interfaces
MALD-37545 is a candidate for telecommunications equipment that requires integrated transmit conditioning and laser-drive functions in a compact optical subsystem. The verified 22.5 Gbps and 25.78 Gbps modes are appropriate starting points for high-speed optical-interface analysis, but the device is not automatically suitable for every telecom standard or reach target. Designers must compare the module loss budget, optical modulation requirements, CDR behavior, supply regulation, and thermal margin with the official MACOM documentation. Regulatory and carrier qualification requirements are not supplied and must be handled at the system level.
Recommended
Data-Center Optical Interconnects
The integrated CDR, equalizer, and four-channel VCSEL-driver arrangement of MALD-37545 can support data-center optical interconnects that need multiple transmit lanes in a compact module. The verified device rates of 22.5 Gbps and 25.78 Gbps should be matched against the system's electrical channel, optical budget, connector, and thermal requirements. Consolidation may simplify module partitioning, but it does not eliminate the need for controlled-impedance routing, equalization verification, laser-current calibration, or signal-integrity testing. Package and pinout details must be obtained from MACOM before layout release.
Recommended
Optical Module Receive-Side Integration
Although MALD-37545 is a transmit-side CDR/VCSEL-driver device, its integrated equalizer can support a module architecture in which channel conditioning is shared with nearby high-speed receive or signal-processing functions. The equalizer should be evaluated against the exact loss and jitter budget rather than treated as a universal compensator. System designers must account for directionality, lane mapping, power domains, isolation from VCSEL-driver return currents, and the timing relationship between recovered transmit data and module control signals. The verified source does not provide circuit-level pin functions, so board design must follow the official datasheet.
Recommended
High-Speed Optical Instrumentation
MALD-37545 may be evaluated for instrumentation and test systems requiring four synchronized high-speed optical transmit channels. The verified 22.5 Gbps and 25.78 Gbps operating modes provide the relevant rate targets for laboratory experiments and specialized optical test equipment. However, instrument accuracy also depends on calibration, reference-clock quality, optical power control, temperature stability, and deterministic channel behavior, none of which are quantified in the supplied data. Use MACOM's documented test conditions and application guidance rather than extrapolating from the headline data rates.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for MALD-37545 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product |
|---|---|
| Product Type | Quad CDR/VCSEL driver with integrated equalizer |
| Channel Count | 4 channels |
| Operating Data Rate | 22.5 Gbps or 25.78 Gbps |
| CDR | Integrated |
| Input Equalizer | Integrated |
| Driver Type | VCSEL driver |
| Brand | MACOM Technology Solutions |
Key Differentiators
- Four-channel transmit integration (vs MALD-37445)
- Input equalizer integrated with CDR (vs MALD-37045C-DIE)
- High-speed optical-module positioning (vs Generic standalone laser driver)
Design Notes
Route all high-speed differential pairs on a continuous reference plane with the impedance required by the MACOM documentation. Keep equalizer inputs, CDR-sensitive nodes, and VCSEL-driver outputs separated to reduce crosstalk and return-current coupling. Do not use a guessed impedance value; confirm the differential impedance, insertion-loss targets, and permissible transitions from the official datasheet before fabrication.
Place the input equalizer, CDR, and driver circuitry according to the manufacturer reference layout, keeping high-speed paths short and avoiding unnecessary stubs. Maintain symmetric routing within each differential pair and provide a well-defined return path beneath the pair. PCB material, stackup, via geometry, and de-embedding requirements should be selected with the actual channel-loss budget rather than inferred from the headline data rate.
The supplied data does not specify supply voltage or current, so power delivery and thermal design cannot be completed from the available information. After obtaining the datasheet, separate sensitive analog and timing-supply paths according to the manufacturer recommendations, place bypass capacitors at the specified pins, and estimate dissipation using the actual supply, load, and ambient conditions. Validate power sequencing and laser-current limits in hardware before enabling the optical output.
Do not treat MALD-37445, MALD-37045C-DIE, or a generic CDR as a drop-in substitute for MALD-37545 without exact package, pinout, timing, electrical, and signal-integrity verification. The verified results identify related products but do not establish mechanical or electrical interchangeability. Also confirm lifecycle status, procurement availability, and manufacturer documentation revision before committing a production design.
High-speed driver performance can depend on temperature, but the verified material provides no operating-temperature range, thermal resistance, power dissipation, or package data. Use the official MACOM documentation to calculate worst-case dissipation from actual supply and operating conditions, then verify the exposed heat-spreading area, copper, airflow, and enclosure temperature. Do not estimate a thermal rating from the device's data rate or channel count.
Compliance Information
The supplied verified data does not state RoHS, REACH, AEC-Q100, lead-free, halogen-free, or conflict-minerals status. Obtain current compliance documentation from MACOM for the exact ordering code.
