Photo Integrated Circuits

Hamamatsu Corp. (Bridgewater, NJ) offers a transmitter-receiver pair of photo integrated circuits (ICs) for use in MOST-compliant automotive multimedia networks. The L10063-01 transmitter and S10064-01 receiver provide a maximum data communications rate of 50 Mbps over plastic optical fiber links. The transmitter offers an operating mode that reduces the optical output level by half, reducing power consumption. The receiver has a low-power-consumption “sleep mode” and can shift into normal operating mode by detecting a light trigger. The receiver also features a wide dynamic range and is immune to external noise. Both components are housed in a clear plastic package and have an operating temperature range of -40°C to +105°C. Signal transfer between the components is performed digitally via a TTL interface.