New Connectors Eye High-Speed Systems

The Micro Giga connector series called MICRO GIGACN is designed to support data transfer rates up to 5 Gbits/s with less than 3% forward crosstalk at 100 ps pulse-rise time (4 pairs switching). The new high-density differential connector series is said to offer designers a better cost-performance ratio in high-speed systems than fiber optic or coax interconnects. It is available in a board-to-board, surface-mount plug-and-socket design with a stacking height of 8 mm and a contact pitch of 0.75 mm with 0.5 mm pitch between leads. Applications include network switches and hubs and connections between components in high-speed computer clusters, video systems, test equipment and real-time medical equipment. The connector's modified strip-line structure controls impedance and noise by isolating each individual signal contact with a ground. Integral ground/power blades separate each signal pair, while the centerline of each signal pair forms a virtual ground plane. The result is less than 0.2 dB insertion loss at 2.5 Gb/s, less than 3% cross talk, and 100 ohm impedance matching at 100 ps rise time. In addition, skew within differential pairs is less than 10 ps. The MICRO GIGACN is available with 12, 24 and 36 contact pairs. The price for a mated stacking connector pair with 24 signals pairs (48 signals, 25 ground blades) is $12.97 each/10,000.