JESD204B

JESD204B is a high-speed serial interface standard defined by JEDEC for connecting data converters, such as ADCs and DACs, to digital processing devices like FPGAs and ASICs. It specifies the physical layer, framing, lane mapping, and synchronization needed to transfer large blocks of sample data with low latency and predictable timing.

Key features of JESD204B include support for multi-lane operation, allowing a single data converter to transmit data over multiple serial lanes. The standard defines how lanes are grouped, aligned, and reassembled at the receiving end, enabling higher aggregate data rates. Per-lane data rates are high, with many implementations achieving several gigabits per second. A core characteristic is the use of a SYSREF signal to provide a common time reference, enabling deterministic, frame-aligned latency across devices and lanes. The protocol also includes initialization and synchronization sequences, such as a SYNC signal, to establish known time relationships between transmitter and receiver.

Compared with JESD204A, JESD204B introduces higher potential data rates, improved support for multi-device synchronization, and deterministic latency across the link. These improvements simplify scalable system designs and reduce latency jitter when connecting multiple converters to a single digital interface.

Applications for JESD204B span instrumentation, communications, radar, and medical imaging, wherever high-speed, low-latency data transfer from converters to processing hardware is required. Vendors implement the standard across a range of ADCs, DACs, and associated FPGA or ASIC interfaces, often with attention to SYSREF distribution, lane skew, and PCB impedance to ensure reliable operation.

JESD204B is part of the JESD204 family; later revisions such as JESD204C provide further enhancements.