At the 2025 IEEE Custom Integrated Circuits Conference (CICC) in Boston, Kandou AI introduced a breakthrough in high-speed data transmission: a dual-mode long-reach SerDes transceiver supporting both NRZ (Non-Return to Zero) and ENRZ (Ensemble NRZ) signaling schemes.

This new SerDes architecture sets a new benchmark in energy-efficient, high-performance data communication and is implemented using 16nm FinFET technology.

What Makes This Innovation Stand Out?

The dual-mode transceiver is designed with key features in mind:

• Low power consumption
• Compatibility with existing architectures
• High signal integrity
• Robustness against Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI)

In NRZ mode, the transceiver supports established standards such as USB and DisplayPort. The new ENRZ mode, introduced as a test enhancement, pushes performance further by increasing link throughput by 50%—all while operating at the same baud rate (20 Gbaud) and maintaining exceptional signal quality.

To put it simply: More data, less power, no compromise on quality.

Technical Highlights

• Channel loss tolerance: 6 dB to 28 dB (Nyquist)
• Bit Error Rate (BER): Better than 1E-13
• Data rates:

• 
  
  • 10 Gb/s per wire in NRZ mode
  • 15 Gb/s per wire in ENRZ mode
  
  

This innovation demonstrates how ENRZ signaling can enhance modern link performance in both speed and efficiency, making it a compelling choice for next-generation high-speed interfaces.

Stay connected for more updates from Kandou AI as we continue shaping the future of connectivity.

Publication Details

Title: Dual-Mode Long-Reach Serial Data Transceiver Supporting NRZ and ENRZ Signaling

Conference:IEEE CICC 2025 (April 13–17, 2025)

Published on IEEE Xplore: May 19, 2025

Congratulations to Anant Singh's team at Kandou AI for this significant contribution to the field of high-speed data communication. Their work continues to drive innovation and performance in silicon design.

Want to learn more?

Read the full article here: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10982712

More details in the CICC 2025 Program