XFP SMT Connectors Yield 10-Gbit/s Performance

Sept. 29, 2003

XFP connectors that provide extended electrical performance at 10-Gbit/s serial data rates are now available from Tyco's "extended performance" PT 30 connector series, referenced in the XFP standard. XFP PT 30-position connectors incorporate high-speed surface-mount (SMT) contacts on a 0.8-mm pitch. Designed for applications with system noise budgets that require additional margins, the connectors join together copper and optical 10-Gbit serial XFP modules on host-system pc boards.

The XFP standard is a multisource agreement that specifies the electrical and mechanical requirements for next-generation pluggable transceivers (go to www.xfpmsa.org for more information). It specifies parameters for pluggable modules, cage hardware, thermal heatsinks, and pc-board connectors. It's intended to cover Sonet OC192/STM-64 10-Gbit Fibre Channel, G.709, and 10G Ethernet communications. The specification aims to give users a universal design for transceivers in a smaller space and at a lower cost than alternative parallel optical schemes.

Pricing for the "extended performance" PT 30 connector is $2.39 each in 5000-unit quantities. Lead time is 10 weeks for volume orders and stock for samples.

Tyco Electronicswww.tycoelectronics.com (800) 522-6752

See associated figure.

About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.