The independent review caught several unsafe issues in the first implementation, so I’m correcting them before closing: overvoltage on U3 EN/UVLO, TPS65987D dead-battery boot strapping, unsuitable TVS selection, and the connector’s 20 Gbps limitation.
Work is paused because no ACUs are currently available, so I could not retrieve or verify the executor’s final correction report.
Completed before the pause: J4 connectivity, a TPS65987D-based PD block, protected ASM VBUS sensing, a 100 × 80 mm board resize, and an independent safety review. Still requiring confirmation are the corrected U3 EN/UVLO network, TPS65987D dead-battery boot, PD-rated TVS, true 40 Gbps J4 replacement, ≥4 A SSD switch, duplicate U10 removal, and M.2 keepout.
Public product and enclosure evidence points to Intel JHL9480, code name Barlow Ridge, as the dominant current controller for 80 Gbps Thunderbolt 5 / USB4 v2 external NVMe SSD enclosures.
Package: FC-CSP per Intel PCN and distributor listings
B2 stepping is publicly listed by Intel ordering/compliance pages:
SRPNM — Tray, B2
SRPNN — Tape & Reel, B2
2. Existing products using JHL9480
Several current 80 Gbps external NVMe products explicitly advertise JHL9480/JHL9480B2:
Table
Vendor / Product
Interface
Controller Evidence
Notes
ACASIS TB501 / TB501Pro
TB5 / USB4 v2 80 Gbps
JHL9480(B2), sometimes JHL9480 + RTL9210
NVMe enclosure, up to ~6000 MB/s class
UGREEN 80Gbps M.2 NVMe Enclosure
TB5 / USB4
JHL9480
Up to 8 TB, M.2 NVMe 2280
WAVLINK RapidFire-T5
USB4 v2 / TB5
JHL9480 powered
PCIe Gen4 NVMe enclosure
TESmart TBE-X5Max
TB5 / USB4 v2
JHL9480 B2, sometimes ASM2364 for legacy fallback
Dual-path style design
ORICO X50/X50 Pro
TB5
JHL9480
Review sources report ~6000 MB/s class
3. Public datasheet / pinout status
A full electrical datasheet, pinout/ball map, schematic checklist, power sequencing guide, strap definitions, firmware details, and layout checklist were not found publicly.
Intel public pages provide high-level specs only. Intel community responses direct detailed JHL9480 design questions to the Thunderbolt Developer Portal, implying the real design collateral is gated behind Intel/Thunderbolt developer access and likely CNDA/NDA.
4. Flux library availability
Flux library searches found no usable Intel JHL9480/JHL9480B2 part and no functionally equivalent USB4 v2 80 Gbps NVMe bridge controller.
Result: no exact or viable part available in Flux at this time. A missing-part request was submitted for Intel JHL9480/JHL9480B2.
5. ASMedia / alternative controller status
ASM2464PD / ASM2464PDX: USB4 / Thunderbolt-to-PCIe NVMe bridge, but public evidence points to 40 Gbps-class USB4/TB4, not USB4 v2 80 Gbps.
ASM2364: USB 3.2 Gen2x2 20 Gbps to PCIe/NVMe bridge, not USB4 v2. Sometimes used as a legacy fallback path in 80 Gbps enclosures.
Silicon Motion SM2324: USB4 portable SSD controller, but appears aimed at native NAND-based portable SSDs rather than off-the-shelf M.2 NVMe bridge designs.
ASMedia ASM4242: USB4 host controller, not a device-side NVMe enclosure bridge.
Feasibility Assessment
Can we design a true USB4 v2.0 80 Gbps NVMe adapter schematic now?
Not reliably from public data alone. The missing JHL9480 pinout and design collateral block a correct schematic. For a high-speed USB4/TB5 controller, guessing pins, rails, straps, firmware interfaces, or reference topology would be unsafe and likely nonfunctional.
Practical paths forward
Preferred professional path
Obtain Intel/Thunderbolt Developer Portal access.
Get the JHL9480 datasheet, reference schematic, layout checklist, firmware/configuration docs, and certification requirements.
Import/create the JHL9480 component in Flux from the official pinout.
Build the schematic from Intel’s reference design.
Prototype/learning path
Use a ready-made JHL9480 enclosure module/board and design a carrier/mechanical/power/accessory board around it.
This avoids creating the JHL9480 high-speed design from scratch.
Lower-risk custom PCB path
Target USB4 40 Gbps using ASMedia ASM2464PD/ASM2464PDX-class architecture if datasheet/reference design access is obtainable.
Still advanced, but more mature in existing USB4 NVMe enclosures than USB4 v2 80 Gbps.
Fallback hobbyist path
Use USB 3.2 Gen2x2 20 Gbps NVMe bridge architecture with ASM2364-class controller.
Much more feasible for custom design, but not USB4 v2 / 80 Gbps.
Recommendation
Do not start a guessed JHL9480 schematic until the official Intel/Thunderbolt design collateral is available. If the goal is a manufacturable product, pursue JHL9480 via Intel developer access. If the goal is a hobbyist PCB that can actually be built without NDA materials, step down to a documented USB 3.2 Gen2x2 or accessible USB4 40 Gbps controller path.