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HFAN-01.0: Introduction to LVDS, PECL, and CML
Technical Documents Application Notes HFAN-01.0: Introduction to LVDS, PECL, and CML

APPLICATION NOTE 291

HFAN-01.0: Introduction to LVDS, PECL, and CML


Abstract: As the demand for high-speed data transmission grows, the interface between high-speed ICs becomes critical in achieving high performance, low power, and good noise immunity. Three commonly used interfaces are PECL (positive-referenced emitter-coupled logic), LVDS (low-voltage differential signals), and CML (current mode logic). When designing high-speed systems, people often encounter the problem of how to connect different ICs with different interfaces. To deal with this, it is important to understand the input and output circuit configurations of each interface for proper biasing and termination. This paper describes various ways of interconnecting between PECL, CML, and LVDS for high-speed communication systems, using Maxim products as examples.