Tyco high-speed connector family promises performance >10Gbps

Tyco Electronics, a unit of Tyco International Ltd, has launched a new line of high-speed board-to-board connectors for the computer, networking and telecommunications markets. Meeting connector performance requirements of Bellcore/Telcordia specifications, the MultiGig RT connector family offers users scalability to 10Gbps and above.

The MultiGig RT family will be available in three series types. The MultiGig RT-1 signal modules offer performance beyond 3Gbps and a signal density of 140 contacts per inch. They are available for single-ended and differential applications.

Designed for performance between 3Gbps and 6Gbps, the MultiGig RT-2 signal modules will provide a signal density of 113 contacts per second. The MultiGig RT-3 signal modules will offer high-speed data transfers above 10Gbps and a signal density of 63 contacts per inch.

The MultiGig RT-1 connector, the first to be launched, is available now for sampling. The connector modules are available in 20.3mm and 25.4mm-pitch card spacing.

The new series enables designers to match signal modules, power modules and guide pin modules with ESD discharge options.

Performance scalability is achieved through a modular design that enables system engineers to scale interconnect data-rate performance from <1Gbps to above 10Gbps, the company said.

Another advantage of the new design, Tyco said, is that it "minimizes electrical skew by controlling the length of each circuit through the connector."

The line also offers design flexibility for both signal contact density and card-slot pitch. A key characteristic is the connector's "robust mechanical design" that addresses the problem of bent pins associated with many two-piece connector designs, Tyco said.

It has replaced conventional pins with a miniature PCB structure on the daughtercard modules and enclosed the dual-beam contacts on the backplane connector. Tyco also uses a unique press-fit pin for all high-speed signal contacts to increase the performance of the connector.

The MultiGig RT-1 is priced at from 18 cents to 22 cents per mated high-speed line in quantities of 10,000. Lead times is four weeks for quantities of 500.

EE Times