A Comparison of 25 Gbps NRZ & PAM-4 Modulation Used in Reference, Legacy, & Premium Backplane Channels
Standards bodies are now examining how to increase the throughput of high-density backplane links to 25 Gbps. One method for achieving this is to construct premium backplane links utilizing advanced materials and connectors. Another approach is to re-use legacy backplanes by employing PAM-4 signaling at half of the baud rate. For PAM-4 to offer an advantage over NRZ, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the slicer input, i.e. after equalization, must be ∼9.5 dB better than NRZ to overcome loss of separation between signal levels. This paper will examine 25 Gbaud NRZ and 12.5 Gbaud PAM-4 signaling across varying levels of channel insertion loss and crosstalk. The paper provides a reliable reference for engineers to use when considering when it is appropriate to use NRZ signaling at 25 Gbaud and when it is appropriate to use PAM-4 signaling at 12.5 Gbaud for successful high-density backplane operation.